Nigerian businessman, Jason Njoku has recounted how he and his wife, actress Mary Remmy-Njoku, were racially profiled at an airport in Venice, Italy.
He took to Twitter to share his experience in reaction to a man who bemoaned the high level of racism in Italy after police stopped and questioned him and other black people for no reason.
According to the iRoko TV boss, he and his wife travelled to Venice for a three-day vacation in March, but were accosted by immigration officers who demanded to see their return tickets as proof that they weren’t intending to stay in Italy illegally.
He said he and his wife were bemused by the demand and proceeded to show the officers their first-class tickets and proudly announced that they had booked one of the best hotels in Italy for 3 nights, so they are not in Italy to hustle.
Following this experience, Jason said he can’t live in Europe again because of the racial treatment.
He tweeted,
“@MrsMaryNjoku & I flew to Venice in March. Immigration asked for our return tix. Not how long are we staying o? But can they see our return tix? We burst out laughing😂🤣. Immigration was 🤬. Said it’s a ‘normal question’. Gave them our 1st class boarding tix, and asked them
do we look like people here to hustle? We’re staying at St Regis &are here for 3 nights. They let us through. No need for showing any tix again. Walahi I personally can NEVER live in Europe again. ⛔️. We just need a strong 🇳🇬. But we all know it’s increasingly getting worst.”
See his tweet below,
@MrsMaryNjoku & I flew to Venice in March. Immigration asked for our return tix. Not how long are we staying o? But can they see our return tix? We burst out laughing😂🤣. Immigration was 🤬. Said it's a 'normal question'. Gave them our 1st class boarding tix, and asked them https://t.co/piHFd2sxgZ
— JasonNjoku (@JasonNjoku) April 21, 2023