According to the President of Nigerian Citizens Association In South Africa (NICASA), Ben Okoli, a Nigerian identified as Tony Elochukwu was shot twice in the head, by an unidentified man, simply because he requested for where he could get some items in a restaurant.
In a letter sent to the consulate General, Nigerian Consulate In Johannesburg, Godwin Adams, Okoli decried the death and continued killing of Nigerians in the country, adding that the situation is becoming worrisome and scary, since none of the culprits has been arrested or charged.
“We received yet again the sad news of the death of another Nigerian in Witbank Mpumalanga province.
Mr. Tony Elochukwu from Nnobi Anambra State was shot twice in the head by an unidentified Nigerian gunman on April 24 at around 2:45 pm,” he said.
He added that although nobody has been called for questioning over the gruesome murder of Elochukwu, one Obeji Chukwuma, NICASA chairman opened a case of murder in Mpumalanga county.
“This looks like another case of Nigerians killing themselves. This ugly trend of Nigerians killed by fellow Nigerians is on the increase and is disturbing to our community,” he said.
“NICASA is deeply worried over the death and continued killings of our citizens in South Africa. “People are worried and scared, since none of the perpetrators had been arrested or charged over it.”
He further appealed to the consulate to put more effort and mount pressure on the South African police to pursue cases of killings of Nigerian Nationals, living in South Africa, with more serious approach.
“The South African police must stop attempting to encourage this killings by lack of investigation and prosecution with aim of bringing to justice every criminal involved in these heinous crimes,” he said.
Mr Adams condemned the killings, but mapped the case out of Xenophobic context.
“It is clear that as much as any form of criminality and xenophobic attacks against foreigners, including Nigerians in South Africa is condemnable, the killings do not fit into xenophobic attacks,” he said.
“The cases are the stabbing of a Nigerian, Mr. Bonny Iwuola, in Turfontain in Johannesburg on April 6 at about 23:30 hours in front of his house, by unknown assailants, and more of crime related murder.
“Another Nigerian, Gozien Christian, from Agbor in Delta State, was stabbed to death by three unknown assailants. No arrest has been made but cases were opened and police are investigating the murders.
“The third case of murder which happened on the night of April 8 at Sunnyside in Pretoria happened at the usual place of cult-related murders by Nigerian cult groups.
“This particular case had more connection with business-related disagreement that turned sour.
“Investigations are on but eye witness accounts indicated that he was killed and his new Mercedes car-2019 model was snatched and driven away. All these cases do not appear to be xenophobic.
“They are part of the usual crime-related killings in South Africa. Police statistics in South Africa indicate that over 18,000 murders take place in South Africa in a year.”
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