A Ghanaian teenager, Otis Nuako, is reported to have been killed in the Paris terrorist attacks that happened last Friday. Latest reports say he fell into coma and died eventually on Sunday.
The Ghana Embassy in France had earlier stated that its attempt to probe the reported death had proved futile. Ghana’s foreign affairs ministry had subsequently announced that no Ghanaian died in the deadly terrorist attacks.
However, a video cited by Viasat1 News Online shows a man supposed to the father of Otis, Elder Ahenkan, explaining how he got to hear of his son’s death.
The video, which was originally posted on the website of Ghanaians in France, revealed that Otis was taken to the Stade De France following a stampede at the stadium that very day.
The father explained that he was run over by the many sports fans in the heat of the terror attacks as everyone was trying to seek refuge. In the process, he fell into coma and eventually died on Sunday.
“They called me on Sunday that he was in the hospital, we went to the hospital and I noticed he was in coma but eventually he died,” he said.
The Ghanaian mission in France had earlier claimed in a statement that Nuako’s death is not related to the attacks.
Below are details of the earlier statement issued by the mission in France
Unconfirmed rumours within the Ghanaian Community and on Facebook over the past twenty-four (24) hours claim that a Ghanaian national whose name has been given as Otis NUAKO was a casualty of the November 13th terrorist attacks in Paris.
A member of the Ghanaian Community who gave his name as Baah sent a text message to the officer responsible for the Diaspora claiming that the said NUAKO, a 19-year old boy, was killed at the French national stadium (Stade de France) during the attacks. This information was circulated on Facebook and subsequently on the Ghana in France website.
On hearing the rumour the Mission immediately contacted the French Police who indicated that it has no record of any Ghanaian casualties or anybody with the said name on the list of the identified bodies. Reports in the French media indicate that only three (3) people died at the National Stadium where the said Ghanaian is alleged to have died.
They were the 2 suicide bombers and a Portuguese transport worker in the vicinity. Other members of the Ghanaian community have come forward to say that the young man was a delinquent and that his death is completely unrelated to the terrorist attack. All attempts to contact the family to verify the story have been in vain. The Consul will attempt to identify the area in which he is alleged to have died tomorrow and visit the local Police Station there.
