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| Hon. Rita Orji |
The Chairman House
Committee on Diaspora Affairs, Hon. Rita Orji, representing, Ajeromi/Ifelodun
federal constituency has decried the recent killing of Nigerians in South
Africa, describing it as an epidemic that is getting worse by the day.
Vanguard
report continues:
In
a statement made available to Vanguard, the lawmaker called on the Nigerian
Consul General to South Africa, Uche Ajulu-Okeke, to act fast on this incident
and present a report to the Federal Government as he promised.
She
said: “From tales of xenophobic attacks against foreigners, Nigerians included,
to all kinds of violent crimes perpetuated against Nigerians in South Africa by
both the police and citizens, we are, once again, saddened by another incident
of a Nigerian dying under the custody of the Police. Eye witness account
reported that the South African police arrested the deceased, Mr Timothy
Chinedu, tied his hands and covered his face with a cellophane bag. The
Nigerian national was allegedly suffocated to death by the police in Kempton
Park, Johannesburg. The Police, however, is alleging that he died after
ingesting drugs but a Nigerian witnessed the entire incident and reported it to
us.”
“This
is coming at the heels of another Nigerian, Christiana Onyeka, 34 years old,
killed on 3 December, 2015, in her husband’s office near Johannesburg by yet to
be identified gunmen. This recent death of Mr Chinedu has sparked off protests
among Nigerians and some sympathizers, carrying placards and chanting songs in
solidarity with the deceased Nigerian. While there have been conflicting
reports on the cause of the death from the police and the eye witnesses, the
bizarre circumstances surrounding his death have once again thrown up the
recurring issue of the South African police brutality against Nigerian suspects
under their custody. This is an epidemic that is only getting worse by the
day,”
According
to her, “The numbers of Nigerians being killed by South Africans or found dead
while in police custody every now and then have increased drastically in recent
times. These deaths are tragic, but the sad truth is that these sorts of
incidents happen routinely and are likely not going to abate soon until the
South African authorities employ stringent measures to tackle police brutality
and checkmate the excesses of South Africans who always brazenly take the laws
into the hands.
“While we await the outcome
of the independent autopsy report, I would remind the South African authorities
that it has the responsibility and obligation under international law to
protect foreigners and to ensure that their fundamental human rights are not
trampled upon by the police or private citizens. Article Articles 5 – 10 of the
Declaration on the Human Rights of Individuals Who are not Nationals of the
Country in which They Live states it clearly among others that the right to
life and security of the person, including freedom from arbitrary arrest or
detention should be guaranteed. I am calling on the Nigeria`s Consul General to
South Africa, Uche Ajulu-Okeke, to act fast on this incident and present a
report to the Federal Government as he promised.”
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| Ikechukwu Ayene, President of Nigeria Union in South Africa |
Nigerians
Protest Alleged Extra-Judicial Killing By South African Police
News
Agency of Nigeria reports that Nigerians living in Gauteng Province of South
Africa have protested the alleged extra-judicial killing of a 34- year-old man,
Timothy Chinedu, by the police.
Mathew
Okafor, the Chairman of the Nigeria Union in Gauteng Province, told the News
Agency of Nigeria on phone from Johannesburg that Mr. Chinedu was allegedly
suffocated to death by the police after his arrest at 9.00 a.m. on Saturday.
Mr.
Chinedu is a native of Isiala Mbano Local Government Area of Imo.
Mr.
Okafor claimed that another Nigerian, who witnessed the incident at Kempton
Park in Ekulurheni Municipality, Gauteng Province, saw the South African police
arrest the deceased, tie his hands and cover his face with a cellophane bag.
“We
suspect that Chinedu died of suffocation. That is why Nigerians in the province mobilized and staged a protest against this extra-judicial killing.
“The
South African police is alleging that he died after ingesting drugs but a
Nigerian witnessed the entire incident and reported it to us.
“The
case has been handed over to the Independent Police Investigative Directorate
(IPID) that investigates police misconduct in South Africa.
“We
have been given the contacts of key persons that we need to be talking to as
this investigation proceeds so that we can monitor the development.
“An
autopsy is being carried out and we are waiting for the coroner’s report.
“We
have also reported this incident to the national body of Nigeria Union and
Nigerian Mission in South Africa.
“We
have also gotten the contacts of the relatives of the deceased and we have duly
informed them of the tragedy,” Mr. Okafor said.
The
President of Nigeria Union in South Africa, Ikechukwu Anyene, said the body had
received the report of the incident.
“We
take exception to the continued torture of Nigerians by the South African
police.
“The
union believes that there is the due process to follow after a suspect is
arrested instead of resorting to torture,” he said.
Mr.
Anyene urged the Federal Government to intervene by persuading the South
African government to look into the continued killings of Nigerians by the
police.
“We
also want to state that the Nigerian did not die of drug ingestion as being
alleged by the South African police,” he said.
Nigeria`s
Consul General to South Africa, Uche Ajulu-Okeke, said that the mission had
received the report of the killing of the Nigerian.
She
said the mission would investigate the incident and present a report to the
Federal Government.
Ms.
Ajulu-Okeke, however, appealed to Nigerians to remain law abiding and report
any incident to the union and the mission.
(NAN) 
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