A Nigerian man has narrated how he fought for the release of a fellow countryman who was detained by officials in Japan. According to Echezona Udeze, the detained man identified as Kingsley Ugwu from Enugu state was released on Friday, February 1st after being held by Japanese authorities for nine months.
Below is what Echezona Udeze shared on Facebook yesterday.
Glory be to God almighty may his name alone be praised for our brother Kingsley Ugwu who was released from Osaka immigration centre today 1st February 2019.
Though I mentioned his case sometime last year when I visited Emenike Obim at immigration detention. Kingsley Ugwu is my brother from Enugu state who was coming to Japan from South Africa on 1st April 2018 and was trap down by immigration and was detained for 9 months.
He meet Emenike Obim at the immigration detention and after contacting his Enugu state brothers none of them can stand for him as guarantor.and he narrated his case situation to Emenike Obim who gave him my contact.and he called me and tell me about his situation and I went and visit him and assure him that I will try my possible best to get him out from the detention.and I promise to stand for him as guarantor.
Me and my wife wrote several letter of appeal which was rejected by immigration and finally we wrote one letter of appeal which immigration finally approved with hard and tough bail condition.and my brother Kingsjey call me and told me that they have approved his bail and release and we rejoice and celebrate it.but after celebrating it my brother told me that they charged 500,000 yen 1,700,000 deposit for his release and I shouted.
But I told him not to worry that the huge amount of money will not stop or distract our happiness that same God that start this work will surely perfect it till the end.and I call his lawyer and ask what we should do and lawyer say that he don’t know that I should call immigration.and call immigration and plead that they should reduce the money which they refused.and I called the Igbo union chairman Osaka and told him about the bail condition which he also shouted and say the money was too much .
And I later call immigration after 3 days and continue pleading that they should reduce the money.and the immigration officer ask me how much we can afford to deposit and I told him that we can pay 200,000 yen 750,000 naira.and he told me to drop my phone number that they will deliberate on it and call me back.
So on Monday 27th January the lawyer called me and told me that immigration ask me to come on 29th January being Wednesday.and when I told my boss that immigration want me to come on 29th he say no and ask me to call the lawyer back.and when I call the lawyer my boss told him that he can’t release me on 29th 30th and 31st of January that he can only release me on 1st of February which is today.
so I ask the lawyer how much they say that I should come with and the lawyer say that immigration ask me to come with only my stamp and resident card.and I ask him again if I should come with 200,000 yen 750,000 or 500,000 yen 1,700,000 naira and he say that I should not come with even 1 yen or naira.and today me and my brother Emenike Obim went together to immigration to bring back our brother Kingsjey ugwu home.and finally we comeback home with him.
As am typing now Kingsjey is in my house and he will spend few days with me in my house before going to join his Enugu brothers in Japan here.and I have prepared correct Egusi soup and fufu for our brother to welcome him back fully as Igbo man.from right is kingsely ugwu from Enugu and second is Emenike and me last