22 NIGERIANS ARRESTED, LOCKED UP IN HARARE PRISON…Proceed on 7 Days Hunger Strike to Protest their Innocence
36 Cows for Zimbabwe’s President Birthday Stolen- Angry Mugabe trains ‘Border Police’ to extort $500 daily, Visits Nigerian Shops * Mugabe’s Drug Addict Son Expelled from College
- 10 Nigerians contract diseases in Zimbabwe Prison
- Nigerians Plead for FG, National Assembly intervention in Harare
- Why Mugabe, OBJ are not on talking terms
- Foreign Press Censored in Zimbabwe
# ‘We don’t offer medical treatment to sick Nigerians in prison’–Zimbabwe Nurse
BY QUEENETH TOMBA/DIPLOMATIC EDITOR just back from Harare
ROBERT Mugabe, Zimbabwe President truly detests the sight of Nigerians. He hates their presence in his country. He has never hidden his disdain for Nigerians. Since 1999, during the advent of democracy in Nigeria, when Olusegun Obasanjo was in the saddle of power as president, Mugabe had requested for his support as ‘Life President’ of Zimbabwe; this Obasanjo (OBJ) declined. Thereafter, he had turned his anger and heat on Nigerians legally living in his country by using his security operatives to molest, humiliate, harass, beat them and make forceful arrests. Many of these innocent Nigerians end up in Harare Maximum Prison on the orders of the Mugabe’s presidency.
22 Nigerians Arrested, Locked up in Harare Prison
Naija Standard acting as an undercover in Zimbabwe observed few days ago how 22 Nigerians who refused to part with $500 fine ‘forcefully and illegally’ placed on them to pay by the newly trained ‘Border Police’ were arrested, handcuffed, tortured and locked up in Harare Prison to the consternation of Zimbabweans who often wonder why Nigerian businessmen who have contributed heavily to Zimbabwe’s economy are this harassed and humiliated.
Our correspondent learnt that this ‘Border Police’ purposely created to chase Nigerians about in Zimbabwe on the orders of Mugabe daily visit Nigerians’ shops and homes to effect indiscriminate arrests of these Nigerians having their legal papers issued them by Zimbabwe’s Immigrations.
10 Nigerians Contract Diseases in Harare Prison
Due to overcrowd nature of Harare Prison, as at the last count few days ago, 10 Nigerians have contracted contagious diseases in the poorly-ventilated place, while their prison nurses look the other way instead if offering first aid treatment to Nigerians; whereas if it were other African nationalities, they will bring a stretcher and wheeled that African away for treatment in the hospital.
Speaking with one of the nurses discreetly (names withheld), she said: “Border Police daily tells us that President Mugabe hates Nigerians and that under no circumstance should we assist them even while dying in Harare Prison because if they even die the better. But we offer regular medical treatment in our hospitals to other Africans on presidential directive.”
Hunger Strike Protest by Nigerians in Harare Prison
After several letter had allegedly been written by lawyers of these detained Nigerians in Harare Prison to Nigerian Embassy for urgent intervention in this xenophobic matter and nothing seems to change, these 22 Nigerians in prison proceeded on 7 days hunger strike few days ago to register their innocence, humiliation and torture by Mugabe’s administration.
Nigerians Plead for FG, National Assembly intervention in Harare
In an exclusive interview with Pastor Timothy, leader of Nigerian Pentecostal church in Harare (who preferred anonymity because of likely Mugabe’s attack), he said “We have handed Mugabe to God to deal with. He has done a lot of evil in the sight of God against Nigerians. Many of us here are living legally with our resident permits issued by Zimbabwe Immigration. Yet, there is no single day that passes without you hearing Nigerians ladies being raped, our businessmen arrested over trumped up charges just to lock them up behind the bars so as to take over their flourishing businesses.”
When asked why these Nigerians are not returning back home to start life anew, Pastor Timothy remarked: “Many of them have investment here running into several millions of dollar. Where will they start from if they return to Nigeria? What is the fate of their investment in Zimbabwe that they have labored for over the years? This is why we are pleading for Nigeria’s Federal Government and National Assembly urgent intervention in this matter. They should urgently help us.”
Mugabe’s Son Expelled from College
Investigation by Naija Standard showed that Chatunga Mugabe, an undergraduate of Saint George College in Harare had been expelled from the school on account of his ‘truancy, evil behaviors to fellow students/teachers, dullness, carried-over courses and academic failure.’
Sources in the school tells Naija Standard that “Chatunga, Mugabe’s last born is known to allegedly smoke Marijuana in the college premises, claiming that nobody could do him anything since his father remains the life president of Zimbabwe. The Senate of the college could no longer bear the stigma and with no other options left, he was expelled. We here Mugabe’s security operatives may come anytime to shut down this college for expelling his son.”
36 Cows for Zimbabwe’s President Birthday Stolen
Just recently, Naija Standard gathered that angry Zimbabweans, many of whom are poor and had no source of livelihood allegedly ‘stole’ the 36 cows given as donation to President Mugabe. It was learnt that these 36 cows were stolen where they are tied in the premises of the political party of the president. Thereafter, Zimbabwe’s security operatives have been claiming without a proof that theses cows ‘were stolen by Nigerians.’
Foreign Press Censored in Zimbabwe
It has been a very difficult terrain for foreign media houses with branch offices in Zimbabwe, as security operatives are 24 hours round the clock in censoring the news they publish so as not to include any negative expose on Mugabe, his family or government. Naija Standard further learnt foreign press houses who try to be smart have their offices shut down, internet disabled and arrests of editorial staff being made.
#EDITOR’S NOTE: We sincerely hope the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan of Nigeria and the National Assembly members are reading this story. We expect urgent diplomatic plans to be put in place to save these Nigerians in Zimbabwe who are dying daily.
