VANGUARD: Sports

TUESDAY, 1ST MAY, 2001
Akpoborie suspended—Over child slave ship

NIGERIAN international striker Jonathan Akpoborie, the alleged owner of the Etireno, the boat at the centre of the "child slave ship" affair, was suspended by his German first division side VFL Wolfsburg yesterday.

The Non Governmental Organisation (NGO) Terre des Hommes claimed in the German weekly ‘Focus’ yesterday that the 32-year-old was indeed the owner of the Etireno, which is suspected of carrying over 200 children bound for work on slave plantations in West Africa.

"In his place I’d go straight to Benin to clear up this affair," said Terre des Hommes spokesman Bernard Boeton.

The player’s club have reacted by giving him free time to do just that.

"Because of Terre des Hommes’ fine reputation, the surveillance council and the management of Wolfsburg are forced to support the swift clearing up of this affair," they said in a statement.

"Therefore we have released Jonathan Akpoborie from his contractual obligations so that he can devote his time to clearing up this matter."

The Etireno arrived at Cotonou, Benin in mid April with 43 minors on board.

Earlier this month the newspaper ‘The Guardian’ reported that Akpoborie had bought the Etireno and another ship on Christmas Day in Denmark in 1998. The paper said Akpoborie had interests in the marine business.

The two vessels were registered in Lagos with each costing around 50 million naira (437,000 US dollars) it said.

The paper did not however say Akpoborie was involved in the illegal child slavery or whether he knew that his vessel was being used for it.

I was expecting a ship load of slaves to pull into port, but when they started looking for another slave ship I knew the whole thing had turned into a joke.I won't be quick to indict Johnny, this is another holier than thou act by the west and as usual filled with ulterior motives, worse still is the foolish Beninoise government ever eager for foreign help even if it means soiling it's name in the process.I don't see much problem for Johnny here, even if he owns the ship was he aware of the captains actions?