How Nigerian Was Beaten To Death By South African Police

A 30-year-old Nigerian, Nonso Odo, has been reportedly beaten to death by police officers in Hillbrow Johannesburg, a prominent South African city.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Imo-state born Nigerian was tortured to death in South Africa on Thursday, after engaging in a quarrel with a fellow Nigerian in their business centre.

Ikechukwu Anyene, president of the Nigerian Union in South Africa is livid with anger over the death of Mr. Odo

This development was said to have irked Mr Ikechukwu Anyene, the president of Nigeria Union in South Africa, who outrightly condemned the act.

Mr Emeka Ezinteje, Public Relations Officer of the Nigerian union, told NAN in Johannesburg, that the union decried the incident after receiving the report, indicating that the deceased, who was a barber, quarreled with a fellow Nigerian in their business centre.

“After the quarrel, the fellow Nigerian stopped a police patrol team. The barber ran when he saw the patrol team.”

Ezinteje further informed that the police patrol went after Odo and returned with the lifeless body of the Nigerian after 30 minutes.

“Not satisfied with the police report, some members of the union went to see the corpse in hospital.”

And reports have it also, that Sgt Nengobeni, a South African police officer at the hospital, denied that the police killed him, explaining instead that the police were flagged down by somebody while the victim took to his heels.

Ezinteje, who refused to believe the reports, said the union suspected foul play and would get to the root of the case.

“We have also received reports by eyewitnesses that Odo was beaten to death. We have ordered a post mortem to ascertain the cause of Odo’s death. The union will also take this case to the Independent Police Investigative Department, for more investigation.

“The department is responsible for investigating wrong doings by police officers,” he said, adding that the incident has been reported to Nigeria’s Consulate General in Johannesburg and Hillbrow Police Station, also in Johannesburg.

South Africa was recently criticised over xenophobic attacks on Nigerians and other Africans living in their country.