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Stop these inhumane 'Ethnic Charter Flights'

John O | 29.04.2009 10:53 | Migration | Social Struggles | Workers' Movements | Birmingham | World

"My daughter Stephanie who is in detention at Yarl's Wood has tried harming herself by incision on her wrist she is right now under suicide watch here at Yarl's Wood" Ubaka Kenneth Nwosem

Please as a matter of urgency sign this online petition
 http://www.gopetition.com/online/27357/signatures.html

Ubaka, Stephanie and her two brothers are currently detained in Yarl's Wood and due to be forcibly removed to Nigeria, today on the 'Ethnic Charter Flight' to Nigeria @ 18:00. Immigration missed Ubaka's wife and another child when they raided their house, they are still at liberty.


From: Ubaka Kenneth Nwosem

Ubaka can be contacted on 078 8171 3615 /  ken_nwose@yahoo.com

E-mail early this am: To reconfirm details of our telephone discussion about my daughter Stephanie who is in detention at Yarl's Wood has tried harming herself by incision on her wrist she is right now under suicide watch here at Yarl's Wood Immigration Removal Centre.

Stephanie has completely lost her mind. She has been psychologically tortured having not seen her mother for about 10 days. She is in great fear of the whole situation about and has not eaten any thing for in the past three days. She has become very unstable and has ripped things off the wall of the room she was detained in. Some security personnel are taking turns in watching her closely so that she does not do any further form of self-harm every four hours.

Please help!! She is the only daughter that I have got the torture or returning home and being locked up without reasons she cannot comprehend is slowly killing my daughter she is just 12 years old, she has said on countless times she will kill herself, she is devastated I can't seem to calm her down as she has turned black and dying slowly this mental torture is killing her.

Even as at this morning (29th April)the condition remains the same the security officials have changed shifts overnight to ensure she does not proceed to suicide.Her behaviour has become very different and she has not had anything to eat still.Please help!

Ubaka Nwose

E-mail Tuesday evening: I have been detained since the 20th April 2009 at Yarl's Wood; I humbly wish to state the following:

Right now, my daughter Stephanie has completely lost her mind and has self harmed. She has been psychologically tortured having not seen her mother for about 10days.She is in great fear and has not eaten any thing for in the past three days. She has become very unstable and has ripped things off the wall of the room she was detained in. Some security personnel are taking turns in watching her closely so that she does not do any form of self-harm every four hours. Please help!! She is the only daughter that I have got the torture or returning home and being locked up without reasons she cannot comprehend is slowly killing my daughter she is just 12 years old.


I was shot in my country by the Military police (Military Bullet still lodged in my lower abdomen as I write). In 2005 and I came to UK and I sought asylum with my family Although the evidence of all what I claimed have been looked at but I further wish to state that at the time of my tribunal my medical report evidence was not with me I was waiting for it through the post but it didn't come, I have to proceed with the tribunal at the court, the Judge did not have them at hand prior to making a final decision. It was later I got them at the Asylum Clinic. Therefore the judge has no evidence before him before taken the decision. After the initial decision by the immigration judge every other fresh claims evidence and reconsideration was dismissed by the immigration officer. 

I have undergone severe torture back home that almost took my life the evidence on the gun shot wound (Bullet still lodged near my spine) as a result of my activity on human rights. I could not have shot my self very close to my spine because I want to seek asylum, this wouldn't have been the case. I am not a soldier or military personal have never handled gun, had no training about managing gun, or its wound, I complained that I am sleeping on one side of my body since the day I arrived UK after I was shot. But the doctor never did any thing about it as they said that I do not qualify for any form of surgery.

Since after the x-ray at Sheffield teaching hospital on my condition, I have not received any treatment rather than I was placed on paracetamol I requested for cocodamol tablets when the excruciating pain continued. The surgeon said "he will not guarantee that removal of the bullet would improve my symptoms of constant pain on the affected part". This has made me to lie on one side of the bed since 2005 till date. I have lived with this pain since I was shot, I arrived UK with the hope of getting it removed but all my efforts proved abortive, because as an asylum seeker I am not allowed access to primary health care because I need a status to do so.

My wife Elizabeth and daughter Stephanie have been victims of torture by the military the other part of the story (Rape) was not disclosed and have leaved with me for long time, the defilation of my wife have turn my heart apart because I am turned between our culture and western civilization, it is an object of ridicule if I would be aware that she was sexually harassed because my culture demands an immediate divorce to such malicious incident although this was not of her own making still there is suppose to be an atonement culturally to this. As I learnt of this rape while in UK , there is nothing I could do, most especially now that am about to be returned without her.

On my application for further reasons to remain in UK my solicitor made mention of the loss of my only surviving family member (Mother in law) she passed away in December 2008, this was not considered by the immigration officer in charge, as we have no other parents back home to go back to as my father died as well in 2006 while my mum died also in 2007 while I am on this course. My father in-law died a long time ago early eighties. My sister in-law whom we made mention to the Home office during our first initial interview is no where to be found we were told she is into prostitution now.

2 of my kids are now in secondary school, they both finished from primary here in UK and got offer to the secondary school (Sheffield Springs Academy) my son is a member of sharks basket ball he plays for junior shark under 14, and they both have already choosing a subjects in science to take them to further education.

The day I was arrested taken to Yarls wood my wife and my son weren't at home they are no where to be found, taken me and the other kids to Nigeria would not only put me to danger but also will expose the kids to violence especially after our stay in UK since 2005, for they witnessed most of the arrest, harassment and torture which we undergo in Nigeria before coming to UK to seek sanctuary, I sincerely can not cope without their mother being with them as they will live in fear and torment of the past experience all their lives especially now we have no family back home, I can vividly remember the poor boy Raphael always ask when ever he came back from school " Why don't I have Nana where is my own nana every one in my class has nana"  It will be extremely difficult and terrifying taken me and these kids back to Africa because their live would be in danger, if I am sought after and found my children would be exposed to these targets .Again, without their mother going home with us they will end up not getting the motherly care and affection this would turn them to street kids and eventually develop into outlaws and Stephanie will be 13years with out her mother would end up a teenage pregnancy and turn to prostitution or may end up in the arms of human trafficking for prostitution which is currently a means of survival for teenagers in Nigeria.

At this point I am devastated, hopeless, disorientated the only thing on my mind is to drink up a poison and sleep never to wake up or commit suicide, Yarls wood is so protective of such device that I can't lay my hands on any. Please help me my life is still at risk, for if I am turned back to that devilish country where I was shot, I will kill myself.

Therefore at this juncture, I would plea with your office to use your powers to help me and my family..



Thanks you for your anticipated cooperation



Ubaka Kenneth Nwose

Tel: 078 8171 3615

D.O.B 06-11-1965

HO. Ref No: N1117819

John O
- e-mail: JohnO@ncadc.org.uk
- Homepage: http://www.ncadc.org.uk