I left Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport. While I was going to Barcelona to attend the International Ombudsman Institute Workshop on Artificial Intelligence and Human Rights, they were going to Madrid Spain.
I never shared this experience with anyone
apart from my friend Onyeyirim Oguzie and a few persons that I can't remember. But I think it's very expedient
and necessary to share it for people to be on alert when traveling out of the
country.
Three of them are from Edo State. Two men and a
lady. We sat in the same row in the aircraft and had a lot of conversations.
When we landed in Cairo Egypt, they delayed the flight and gave us transit
visas to sleep in a hotel at the expense of the Airline.
After refreshing in our rooms, we came out to
observe the beauty of Cairo. These guys met me where I was relaxing and we
started talking again. I ordered drinks for them and paid in dollar equivalent
of Egyptian money. They told me they were from Edo State.
When we entered our rooms. At exactly 1am,
one of them came knocking on my door. I didn't open the door. He said that his
friend and the lady were fighting and that I should come and join him to
separate them. I told him to call the hotel security or room service. As we
were talking through the door, I was hearing a noise and squabble as the lady
was shouting. I didn't know it was a set for me to open the door so they can
come in and murder me silently and leave with my belongings. They thought I had
plenty of dollars.
I told him I was going to call the hotel
security if he knocks on my door again. I was saying all these from the door.
He started pleading. I told him to give me few minutes to wear my clothes.
While he was waiting, I called the hotel security and they landed in less than
two minutes and knocked on my door reassuringly.
Unfortunately for the man, they saw him at my
door at 1.30am. While I opened the door and started explaining to them, the man
wanted to go back to his room but security stopped him. He had no opportunity
to inform his colleagues that security was around.
Since it was just next door, security told
him to knock on his colleagues' door by himself. He knocked and his friend
opened the door without knowing that security and myself were behind. The first
thing that came from his mouth when he was opened the door was "Oboy how
far. The guy done open him door. Maybe him don code". I heard him clearly
and I told security men who also heard him. We entered the room, low and behold
the lady that was shouting and calling for help watching TV in a relaxed mood.
They took us downstairs to explain. I told
the Security that apart from boarding with them at Abuja International Airport
and sitting with them in the hotel's lobby, I never met them before nor
encountered them in my entire life. They were not my relatives or friends and
we were going to different locations in Spain.
Hotel security told us that in some hotels
near the airport, passengers on transit visas had been robbed and killed inside
the room by fellow passengers. Usually, nobody will know what happened and the airline won't wait for anybody when it's time to board.
The security told me to go back to my room
but engaged the gentlemen and lady in a serious question and scrutiny. They
took their passports and fingerprints. I left for my room and when it was time
to board in the morning, I left the hotel but I can't tell what happened
thereafter.
Lessons:
Do not trust the people you meet on board the flight. Forget the fake decency. People pretend a lot on board flight.
Do not keep or carry anybody's bag or luggage
at the airport or inside the aircraft. They could be carrying drugs or banned
substances. Many have gone to jail innocently abroad.
Do not reveal much about yourself to the
people you meet at the airport or onboard the flight. You could be traced by
criminals you meet on board without knowing.
Marshall Israel
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