The Nigerian Community in South Africa yesterday confirmed the killing of one of its members, Mr. Clement Ofoma, at Springs town, near Johannesburg.
Mr. Ofoma, who is 35 years of age, was born in Obosi, Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State, he was a businessman based in the town.
Mrs. Toewry Ofoma, the wife of the deceased and a South African, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at Springs that about 10 South African policemen arrested her husband from his shop on Tuesday.
She said the police alleged that he was a drug dealer, but her husband denied the allegations.
“They searched our house, his store and other places, but did not find any substance.
“the police tortured my husband to confess where he kept the drugs, but my he insisted he had nothing confess
Toewry said. “The police used cellophane bag to cover his face and at a point, he was struggling to breathe and became unconscious. By the time they rush him to a hospital, he was pronounced dead,”
Chairman of Obosi Development Union in Springs Mr. Omezie Onyire expressed shock over Ofoma’s death.
“Mr Ofoma was an active member of our union and contributed to its improvement in South Africa,” he said.
While addressing Nigerians in the town, Mr. Adetola Olubajo, President, Nigeria Union, South Africa, said the matter had been reported to the Nigerian mission.
Olubajo advised them to be law-abiding, be united and form a chapter of the union in their area.
Some Nigerians in the town, who staged a protest at the police station, were dispersed by the police who fired rubber bullets.
On August 30, a Nigerian, Kingsley Ikeri, 27, a native of Mbaitolu Local Government Area of Imo State, was also allegedly killed by the police while being interrogated for being in possession of drugs.
But Nigeria on Tuesday summoned South Africa’s envoy over allegations that South African police suffocated Ikeri.
The ministry “summoned the South African Acting High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr. Kenneth Pedro, to protest the extra-judicial killing of Nigerians in South Africa”.
Ikeri had been living in the South African town of Vryheid.
The ministry said Ifeoma Akabogu Chinwuba, Under-Secretary for Regions and International Organisations, had expressed Nigeria’s anger at the alleged killing to the South African envoy.
She urged South African authorities to bring those “responsible for the despicable acts” to justice, she said in her statement.