A Nigerian man has taken to social media to share the story of how he was arrested and detained at an airport in Switzerland for coming in with a Presentation laser pointer. Etsetowghan Andrew said he had visited the country for work and was returning home when he was asked to surrender his bagpack to be searched. He said the presentation laser pointer used to deliver slides independently by hand with MSpowerpoint was found in his bagpack.
He said he was told that it is prohibited in Switzerland and thereafter detained in a cell for two hours. He said he was held in the cell until he got a Swiss resident with a verifiable address to guarantee him before he was released.
Please do not travel to Geneva Switzerland with a Presentation laser pointer ….I got arrested and detained in Geneva.
I was advised not to share my experience on social media to avoid putting the Swiss Government in bad light. However I had a change of mind, as this is not
about the Swiss, but is about the Nigeria government and Nigerians.
On my way back from a recent work related trip to Geneva, I was asked to have my bagpack( laptop bag) checked at security. In my backpack was my presentation pointer used to deliver slides independently by hand
with MSpowerpoint. I was told it was a class 2 laser and prohibited in Switzerland.( I had never heard of this, but ignorance of the law is not an excuse).
I was delayed for 30 min, after which the Police were called. 2 armed police men took me to station at the basement
of the airport.
I had my finger prints taken, asked to leave the door open when allowed to use the toilet with police man standing outside, passport and boarding pass confiscated. I was put in cell without windows, with my jacket and back pack all collected.
I was informed that if I did not have a Swiss resident with verifiable address I would not travel. In all this,i remained calm with no resistance. By God grace we reached a Swiss resident on phone willing to guarantee me. I was given several documents in French to sign under
duress ( as if I did not sign I would not be able to fly). I asked for copies of this but they refused.
I spent over 2 hours locked up in the cell, intorrgated about everything including if I had carried arms before. I begged them to please google my surname to no avail.
In the end I was released 10 mins to my flight departure and last to get to the plane running furiously. I was told to expect a fine after review by a judge. I must however commend Officer Fabio, who called the Swiss resident who guaranteed me and took me to quickly to
immigration to make my flight.
Every country is entitled to their laws which I respect , however the treatment I received was not acceptable or in line with a country like Switzerland.
I have written to Nigeria Embassy in Benn, Ministry of Foreign Affairs ,
NIDO , Swiss Embassy in Nigeria, but received responses from NIDO ( Hon Abike Dabiri’s team) and Swiss Embassy Nigeria.
I resisted putting this on social media, however if this can prevent another black person with a green passport carrying a presentation pointer