The Nigerian Embassy and Unions in Italy have vowed to get justice for Rita Amenze, the Nigerian lady who was killed by her Italian husband on Sept. 10 in Italy.
Pastor Mike Oputteh, the Welfare Officer, National Union of Nigerian Association in Italy (NUNAI) disclosed this in an interview with newsmen yesterday in Abuja.
Oputteh said the Nigerian Embassy in Italy, headed by Amb. Mfawa Abam, and the Unions have been very proactive on the issue which led to the arrest of late Amenze’s Italian husband.
He said the prompt action of the Nigerian Mission and leadership of the Unions had made the Italian Authority realise that Nigeria cares for her citizens.
Oputteh also told newsmen that the Nigerian Ambassador, Abam had also pledged to ensure no Nigerian was unjustly treated or falsely detained in Italy.
Oputteh noted that the Italian justice system was effective and commendable, however, szid the unions would ensure they got justice for any Nigerian found illegally detained, most times based on false accusations.
According to him, the Ambassador will lead a team, including the Unions to go round Italian Prisons to ascertain if there are Nigerians illegally detained.
“In a situation where we find out about a Nigerian that was unlawfully detained, we sue for damages and in most cases, we win such cases and damages are paid.
“I know of one or two people, and the last person was paid 65,000 Euros.
“On unlawful detention of Nigerians in Italian prisons, we have gone to three prisons.”
Oputteh said he had been living in Italy for years and the police have never harassed him.
He said recently, the Italian authorities carried out some raids and some Nigerians were apprehended for drugs, and cultism, and someone, a Nigerian and a whistle blower for the Italian police included my name.
“The police did their investigations, listened to my conversations but could not find anything on me, they did not arrest me but they arrested others. They cannot just come and arrest you for nothing, they can’t.
“I have not seen any Nigerian that is unlawfully detained that we have not fought for. And if there are, and we get to find out from the prisons we are visiting, we will fight for them,” Oputteh said.
She arrived Italy in 2017 through Libya and got married to the Italian man in 2018, which enabled her to obtain permanent residence permit.
She was murdered in front of her colleagues in the parking lot of Mf Mushroom, a company where she worked on Friday 10 September, in Noventa Vicentina.
According to Italian media, Amenze was killed because she filed for a divorce after she returned from Nigeria a week ago.
