Nigerian Stowaway boy handed over to Edo state officials

The stowaway boy

The stowaway boy : goes to boarding school


JETHRO IBILEKE/Benin

Stowaway 13-year-old Master Daniel Ricky Oikhena was Tuesday handed over to the Edo state Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development in Benin by operatives of Eo state Command of the Department of State Security Services (DSS).

The teenager, a student of Ogbe Junior Secondary School in Benin City, was handed over to the officials of the Edo State Ministry of Women Affairs in the early hours of Tuesday by officials of the DSS.

Journalists and family members, including his mother, Mrs Evelyn Oikhena were however denied access to the boy at the DSS office in Benin City.

Also, efforts made by Mrs. Oikhena at the Ministry of Women Affairs to see her son were rebuffed by the Ministry officials.

The stowaway boy : handed over to Edo state officials
The stowaway boy : handed over to Edo state officials

At the premises of the Ministry, Mrs. Oikhena lamented, “I was not allowed to see my son at the SSS office when I was told he was there. I went there but they said they have taken him to the Ministry of Women Affairs. I was given a number to call but I have been calling the number but no response.

“I asked some body they told me he is not here but they told me he is here. So I am waiting to hear from them. I missed my son and I want to see him,”she said.

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At the time of this report the Ministry was making arrangement for the boy to meet with Governor Adams Oshiomhole.

Meanwhile, the Executive Director of African Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ), Rev.David Ugolor, has commended the DSS for releasing the boy and appealed to good spirited Nigerians to assist him in his education.

According to the Press Release signed by the Executive Director of Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice, Reverend David Ugolor and made available to newsmen in Benin City on Tuesday, ANEEJ said Daniel Ohikhena’s ability to beat the entire airport security networks expose the poor state of the nation aviation sector.

ANEEJ said it was sad that some of the nation’s airports were still in dire need of proper perimeter fencing, patrol vehicles that would have prevented Daniel Ohikhena from gaining access into the air plane wheel well despite yearly budgeting for airport security in the country.

“From what we have gathered so far, Daniel Ohikhena’s ability to beat all the airport security networks expose the poor state of our aviation sector. Despite yearly budgeting, it is sad that some of our air ports are still in dire need of proper perimeter fencing, patrol security vehicles that would have prevented Daniel Ohikhena from gaining access into the air plane wheel well,” ANEEJ said.

The NGO urged President Goodluck Jonathan to regard the stowaway incident as a challenge to his transformation agenda in the aviation sector. It commended the men and officers of the Department of State Security for the sense of maturity with which they handled the issue and called on the Federal Government to take immediate step to ensure that the nation’s airports are well secured to avoid future occurrence.

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