By Gbenga Sodeinde in Ado Ekiti
But for the timely intervention of Ikere Ekiti Born France based popular philanthropist, Harris Niyi Alonge four Nigerians would have perished in the Atlantic Ocean and be forgotten.
Alonge who is into oil and gas construction,personally took it upon himself to rescue the victims who were trying to escape from what they reportedly described as untold hardship in their country, Nigeria for unknown destination outside the shores of the country out of desperation.
Narrating the story, Alonge who is the CEO of the shipping company told Heritage News that he was on his line of duty last week when he suddenly saw the people from afar jumping into the Sea, and wasn’t sure whether they were thrown into the Sea or they escaped into the Sea themselves, but noticed they were were drowning and helpless.
Alonge said he immediately alerted the captain of his ship who sailed towards them at his own personal cost because it is not easy to suddenly change direction of a ship just like as such attracts heavy cost in which he has to personally bear to save lives.
He said: “on sighting them from afar already drowning,we immediately changed the direction of our ship and sailed towards them on high speed as we sensed that they were in danger.
“On getting to them, we did everything possible with the use of our equipments and manpower to ensure that we saved their lives. When we brought them out, initially, they could not talk and were unconscious before we gave them all the necessary first aid and made sure they became conscious”.
Alonge who said he suspected that the victims might have smuggled themselves into the ship which destination they didn’t know but sure hopeful that it was definitely sailing towards another country different from Nigeria.
The Ekiti born philanthropist who said the incident happened on the Atlantic ocean between Cotonou and Nigeria sea said he suspected that the Sailors of the ship upon discovering that some young men were hiding inside their ship decided to throw them into Atlantic ocean which led to their predicament that would have ended their lives.
“Eventually, when these young men could speak, they confessed to me that they were trying to ‘japa” out of the country to seek greener pasture in another country, and when asked which country, they said they didn’t know.
They were just sure that the ship was heading towards another country from Nigeria and that they were desperate in traveling out of the country to escape hardship in Nigeria”.
Alonge said he later handed them over to the Nigeria Navy, he pointed out that although the intervention costed him some money, he was happy saving lives.
“My happiness is that I was able to rescue them and save their lives”he concluded
