FG condemns ‘delibrate’ killings of Nigerians in South Africa, demands probe

The Federal Government has condemned the renewed killings of Nigerians in South Africa, describing them as a possible deliberate pattern of extrajudicial violence by elements of the country’s security agencies, Daily Post reports.

The latest victim, Odueze Chimezie Odueze, was allegedly tortured to death by South African Police Service personnel on Friday, October 9, at his residence in the Parklands area of Cape Town. He was reportedly arrested at a shopping centre on suspicion of drug possession, but no drugs were allegedly found during a search of his home.

The incident came about a week after two African nationals, one reportedly a Nigerian, were allegedly killed in Johannesburg.

In a statement on Tuesday, Nigeria’s Consul-General in South Africa, Ambassador Ninikanwa O. Okey-Uche, said: “The continuing pattern of extra-judicial killings of Nigerians is daily becoming more and more like a deliberate attempt by some elements in disregard to due processes of the South African laws.”

She added: “All should be granted fair hearing in a court of law and no one should take the laws into their hands.”

She urged South African authorities to investigate and prosecute those responsible, and appealed to Nigerians to remain calm and law-abiding.