The family of the stowaway teenage boy, Daniel Oikhena, who is still being detained by the Department of State Security Services, DSS, in Lagos, has appealed for his release, saying he was only an innocent boy who tried to pursue his dreams and not a criminal.
Younger brother of the teenage boy, Desmond Oikhena, who made the appeal, said the family was shocked that their Daniel was still being detained by the DSS, explaining that the stowaway is only a young boy who did not even know what he did and not a criminal.
“My brother learnt what he did through films, he watched films a lot and that was why he had problem with my elder sister the night to that his action at the airport.
“We are missing him a lot; we are appealing that he should be released so that he can come and prepare for the coming new school session.
“My brother is not a criminal. He is just a quiet young man who was pursuing his dream of going to America. We thank God he survived the incident so they should allow him come home so that he can go to the hospital for proper medical check up,” Desmond said.
A rights group, Forum for Justice and Human Rights Defence, FJHD, has also called on the DSS to release the 13-year-old boy to reunite with his family.
The group in a statement signed by its national coordinator, Oghenajabor Ikimi, in Warri weekend, said: “We believe that rather than crucify the above adventurous and courageous teenager, all hands must be on deck to secure his future educationally so that he can achieve his dream of travelling by air legitimately.”
In the same vein, a volunteer group, De Raufs, after offering the boy scholarship to help him achieve his dreams, has also concluded plans to dispatch a team of lawyers to secure the release of the teenage boy.
Coordinator of the group, Comrade Amitolu Shittu, said the team of lawyers from Osun State, which would be led by Mr. Yinka Muyiwa, will team up with the Lagos coordinator of the group to secure the boy’s release.
While condemning the continued detention of the boy in Lagos, Comrade Shittu, who reiterated the earlier resolve of the group to award the stowaway teenager scholarship up to university level, queried the continued detention of the boy by the DSS, saying airport officials in Benin were to blame for the security lapses at Benin Airport and not the teenager.
God saved him out of his ignorant , his life was at risk which he never new but where were the airport securities when he went into the runway where the plane anchored?, so let’s be proactive in our dealings (security wise)
What a country? Are they suppose to detain a teenager at all? U can see why he wanted to fly to AMERICA bcuz Nigeria is a Stupid country..An intelligent boy like dt shud join d military forces,he shudnt be crucified at all..DSS shud find a better work to investigate at least boko haram members r yet to sieze fire..They shudnt forget d corrupt politicians they r behind insecurity in dix lame country too..tnx much
Thank you Ayo,you’ve said it all.useless country with hopeless leaders mtssww
Dss or what they called ur name, u people should go and look for some thing reasonable to investigate, and let d little boy be, let me tell u people air flight or Dss, that boy is a star, no body should chartered his future, so u people should better release him fast, and comparsate him,
Am happy that a 13yrs old boy has spoken at laud evry one can hear that, our security labs is wear 2 much, immigrant 4rm northen Africa passing thro d north to beg, vote an jion boko-Harm an in our militory……………..
DSS should leave d poor boy alone and look for someother things to investigate… Nigeria is a very corrupt country thats why d poor boy wants to leave dis good for nothing country….