Nigeria: Nigerian govt condemns killing of another Nigerian in South Africa

03 Septembre 2017

Abuja, Nigeria , Sep 3 (Infosplusgabon) - Nigeria on Saturday condemned what it tagged “the incessant extrajudicial killings of Nigerians in South Africa,” following the confirmation by the Nigeria Union in South Africa of the killing of Kingsley Ikeri at Vryheid town in Kwazulu Natal Province of South Africa on 30 August.

Aged 27, late Mr Ikeri was a businessman and native of Mbaitolu in Southeast Nigeria and he died in the hands of the South African police. He’s the second Imo indigene to be so killed in the last two weeks.

Ms Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, said Nigeria has “for the umpteenth time condemned the incessant extra judicial killings of Nigerians living in South Africa.”

In a statement by her Special Assistant on Media, Mr Abdurrahman Balogun, the Presidential aide said that " this is one death, too many."

She said in spite of all diplomatic talks between Nigeria and South Africa to put an early warning signal in place, "it doesn't seem to be working."

Ms Dabiri-Erewa described the latest extrajudicial killing of another Nigerian in South Africa as "worrying and condemnable."

She said that the latest gruesome killing of Ikeri by the Police in South Africa, is "unacceptable to the people and government of Nigeria."

While reiterating President Buhari's calls to Nigerians to avoid crimes like drug peddling which attracts stiff penalties, and sometimes death; she noted that the latest killing has increased the number of Nigerians killed in South Africa through extrajudicial means in the last one year.

"The barbaric behaviour of the perpetrators is not only unacceptable, but also calls for urgent attention by diplomatic authorities in Nigeria and South Africa," she said.

Dabiri-Erewa urged the South African government to ensure that justice prevails by carrying out investigation and bringing the culprit to book.

She reiterated her calls to Nigerians living abroad to always respect the laws of their host countries and be good ambassadors of Nigeria.

"My heart goes out to the families of the deceased and pray God to grant the departed soul eternal rest," she prayed.

Mr Bartholomew Eziagulu, Chairman of the Nigerian Union in the province, told newsmen on Friday that Mr. Ikeri was allegedly tortured to death by the police.

He said the union’s investigations revealed that the police arrested the deceased and a friend on suspicion that they were carrying hard drugs.

He said while interrogating him, the police used plastic to cover his face to extort information from him.

“In the process, they suffocated the deceased. When the police took him to the hospital, he was confirmed dead,” he said.

Adetola Olubajo, the Secretary General of the union, said the national secretariat had been informed about the death of the Nigerian.

He said the body had informed appropriate Nigerian authorities and the police in South Africa.

Reports have it that a senior Diplomat from the Nigerian Consulate in Johannesburg had visited Vryheid on a fact-finding mission.

Dabiri-Erewa had in February during a meeting in Abuja with South Africa High Commissioner, Mr Lulu Louis Mnguni, said a total of 116 Nigerians have been killed in South Africa through extrajudicial means in the last two years.

Seven in 10 of the killings were carried out by the South African Police.

FIN/INFOSPLUSGABON/BOL/GABON 2017