Chief Deported To Nigeria

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30133, 17 May 1963, Page 11

Chief Deported To Nigeria

(N.Z.P.A.-Hauler —Copyright.) LONDON, May 16. Chief Anthony Enahoro today flew to Nigeria under a deportation order after he had failed in a five-months legal and political battle to stay in Britain.

A chartered airliner with the chief aboard, handcuffed, left Gatwick airport in Surrey soon after midnight on a direct 14-hour fiignt u> Lagos. The 39-year-old chief is oeing Sown back to his country to face treason charges His struggle u> stay in Britain involved seven court hearings and fou: debates in the House of Commons He claimed yesterday he nao new evidence that he *ouid face the death penalty tf he returned to Nigeria It was on this claim that the Labour Party forced an emergency debate in the House iaM night, out die chief's test nope of avoiding deportation vanished when the Home Secretary, M: Henry Brooke, told members of his conviction' that “it would be just to return Cbiei Enahoro to Nigeria.” The House endorsed the decision by 247 votes to 190 During the debate, Mr Brooke recalled the Nigerien Government chargee agatns: the chief and an alleged plot to capture key pointe "leading to the overthrow by forcible means of the democrat-ically-elected Government.”

He said the chief claimed to have a complete answer to the charges but added "The right place where it should be given, and established Is tn the courts of Nigeria." Labour members shouted; "Resign" and "Shame” and leered Mr Brooke after the debate.

A car later collected Chief Enahoro from London's Brixton prison and drove him to the airport Chief Enahoro had said ms return w*« not sought by the Nigerian Government in the interests of jus’iee but was a calculated plan by the Government to crush the Parliamentary Opposition of which he was the leading member Chief Enahoro’s solicitors ir London issued a statement on his behalf early today in which the chief maintained his innocence of the charges against him. The statement said the chief bad come to Britain believing It was safe for him to enter the country his friends having assured ’hemeelves in the course-of three separate conversations with the Home Office "that I could eesne and go unhindered.”