Nigerian who died in UK detention centre was denied medical attention —Brother

A Nigerian man, Oscar Okwurime, 34, who died in his cell at the Harmondsworth removal centre in London had told the authorities at the centre that he was feeling unwell but he was not provided with medical attention, says latest report.

According to The Independent UK, Okwurime told his siblings that he was feeling unwell during his first week in the removal centre.

His older brother, 44, who asked to be identified as Alex told The Independent, “I told him straight away: tell the authorities there and they will get you checked.

“That first week, they didn’t do anything. And the second week he said they were still saying nothing. The last time I saw him, he told me he was on a waiting list of about 400. He said he was feeling pain in his side. He hadn’t had any health issues before.

“It was a pure case of negligence. If someone is in your custody and telling you they’re not feeling well, it’s your duty of care to get them checked.”

Alex said that before his brother’s death he had been detained around three weeks when he entered the country on a visitor’s visa and told the authorities he wished to seek asylum.

“I’m feeling so livid now. Any time I’m alone, I’m in tears. It’s terrible, It’s very painful. I don’t know what to do,” he said.

The cause of his death is unknown but the Home Office said it was investigating it.

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