Nigerians call for boycott of BA after deportation
More than 1,000 Nigerians are calling for a boycott of British Airways after a BA captain emptied the economy class of a flight to Lagos after the passengers complained about the treatment being handed out to a man who was being forcibly deported.
The police then took all of Mr Omotade's money - which amounted to around £1,600 - and dumped him penniless in Heathrow Airport claiming that they believed the money had been acquired illegally.The man, who was thought to be about 30, was being held down in his seat by four or five police officers as the other passengers filed on board, and was crying out in broken English that he was afraid he would die if he were sent back to Nigeria.
The officers took him off the plane, then returned and arrested Ayodeji Omotade, one of the passengers who had complained vociferously about his treatment. When others on board protested noisily about Mr Omotade's detention, the captain ordered them all off the flight. The only person who eventually flew economy class on flight BA0075 was the unidentified deportee who did not want to go.
Mr Omotade – who pleaded tearfully with officers not to prevent him travelling to Nigeria, where he was due at his brother's wedding – was held in custody for 10 hours, accused of causing an affray, and banned by British Airways from travelling with them again.
It will not be tolerated if paying passengers complain about having to listen to the weeping and begging of a man who believes he is being taken back to a country where he is going to die. To do so is to be "disruptive" and may result in you being prevented from flying.The incident, on 27 March, has created outrage among expatriate Nigerians in the UK, who have called on the Lagos government to intervene. A protest letter, signed by more than 1,000 Nigerians, has been sent to the country's President, Umaru Yar'Adua, and senior members of the Nigerian parliament.
It calls for a front-page apology in a national Nigerian daily newspaper to all passengers on flight BA0075, a written apology and appropriate compensation to Mr Omotade, lifting of the life ban which Mr Omotade says has been imposed on him by British Airways, and the dropping of any criminal charges against him. They say the airline has until 30 April to respond.
"Failure on the part of the British Airways to comply to the above demands will result in us calling for worldwide boycott of British Airways by Nigerians," the petition warned.
British Airways said: "Police were called to the BA75 service to Lagos on 27 March after a large number of passengers became disruptive. Many were removed. We take any threats against our crew or passengers very seriously and this kind of behaviour will not be tolerated."
Unbelievable.
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