Lifestyle
The Tragic Death of Semira Adamu: A Global Wake-Up Call on Deportation Practices (PHOTOS)
On September 22, 1998, Semira Precious Adamu, a 20-year-old Nigerian asylum seeker, died in Brussels, Belgium, during a forced deportation operation. Seeking refuge from a forced marriage and persecution, Semira had arrived in Belgium in early 1998. After her asylum application was rejected multiple times, she was subjected to six deportation attempts—the final one proving fatal.
During the last attempt, while aboard a flight bound for Togo, Semira resisted being deported. Belgian police officers used extreme force to restrain her, holding her face down with a cushion for nearly 20 minutes. Her hands and feet were cuffed. Video evidence later revealed the officers laughing during the act. Semira stopped breathing during the restraint and died later that evening at St. Luc Hospital in Brussels.
Her death sparked massive public outcry in Belgium and beyond. Protesters gathered in thousands, demanding accountability. The incident triggered a high-level investigation, led to the resignation of the Belgian Interior Minister at the time, and forced Belgium to reassess its deportation policies. Today, Semira Adamu’s name is remembered as a symbol of injustice and a cautionary tale about the dangers of inhumane immigration enforcement.
📸 Image: Undated file photo of Semira Adamu, released after her death.
Date of Death: September 22, 1998.
Source: APTN FILES / AFP via Getty Images
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