Respect for Nigerians travelling on BA Flights to Nigeria

A British Airways captain ordered 136 passengers off his plane in chaotic scenes after they all started complaining to cabin crew.

As the flight waited to take off at Heathrow the row was sparked by the restraint of a man being forcibly deported. Many were distressed by his pitiful cries of "I go die" and one passenger, Ayodeji Omotade, 39, spoke up on his behalf. The deportee was taken off the Lagos bound jet by immigration staff and police.

But five officers returned and arrested Mr Omotade. This outraged the other 135 passengers in the economy class section and they complained to cabin crew. Amid riotous scenes in the aisles, 20 police officers boarded to calm everything down. Then the BA pilot took the extraordinary decision to boot off everyone who had witnessed the arrest of Mr Omotade, an IT consultant from Chatham, Kent.

English-born Mr Omotade, married with a daughter aged four, was handcuffed and kept in police custody for eight hours after his arrest. He has not been charged and is seeking an apology from BA. He was travelling from Heathrow's Terminal 4 to Lagos for his brother's marriage and had in his luggage the groom's wedding ring, shirt and suit. He missed the ceremony.

He told the Mirror: "There were agonising noises from an individual being restrained. It went on for 20 minutes. "I pleaded with the officers and my exact words were, 'Please don't kill him.' "I was not swearing or threatening. BA staff said the officers were doing their jobs and nothing was going to happen. When he was removed we thought it was the end of the matter.

"But police officers came back and I was handcuffed and dragged off the plane."

He claims his luggage has been lost and £1,600 cash he had for relatives has been taken and not returned. Scotland Yard confirmed: "A man was arrested for affray and causing a disturbance and was bailed." BA said: "Police were called to the BA75 service to Lagos on March 27 after a large number of passengers became disruptive. Many were removed.

"We take any threats against our crew or passengers very seriously and this kind of behaviour will not be tolerated." A British Airways captain ordered 136 passengers off his plane in chaotic scenes after they all started complaining to cabin crew.

Then the BA pilot took the extraordinary decision to boot off everyone who had witnessed the arrest of Mr Omotade, an IT consultant from Chatham, Kent. The captain took the view they were all guilty of disturbing the flight, although no more passengers were arrested. After the economy class section was virtually cleared, the deportee, aged about 30, was brought back on and the flight left. The passengers were booked on to later flights but Mr Omotade was told by BA staff he was banned by the airline for life.

This smarks of lack of respect for an average paying Nigerian who is funding one of BA's most valuable route. This has to STOP!