The Federal Government has clarified that no Nigerian has been killed directly by xenophobic protesters in South Africa, despite the deaths of four Nigerians in the country in recent months.
The clarification was made by the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, during an interview on Frontline, a current affairs programme on Eagle 102.5 FM, Ilese-Ijebu, Ogun State, on Wednesday.
Ebienfa said investigations by the Nigerian High Commission in South Africa established that although four Nigerians had died recently, none of the deaths was directly linked to the ongoing anti-foreigner protests.
He said, “It’s good to put on record that no Nigerian has been killed by the protesters. We witness unpleasant, very disturbing videos whereby fellow Africans have been killed by mob action in South Africa, but no Nigerian has been killed by the protesting South Africans. However, we witnessed the death of four Nigerians.”
The ministry’s spokesman explained that three of the deaths were connected to actions by the South African police, while another Nigerian, identified as Bijo, was allegedly killed by criminal elements.
According to him, “Two were killed by South African police during interrogation, because they carried out very gruesome interrogation techniques that led to the death of two Nigerians while in police custody. One was seriously brutalized, released from police detention, but later died in a hospital. Then, I think the latest one is a Nigerian, fondly called Bijo, that was killed in front of a shop.”
He stressed that while the deaths were tragic and unacceptable, they should not be mistaken as casualties of the ongoing xenophobic demonstrations.
“But those deaths were not attributed to the protests. One was carried out by an unknown criminal gang, while the three others have police connections that led to their death,” Ebienfa said.
Addressing concerns over reports of looting and attacks on foreigners in South Africa, the ministry’s spokesman said the government was drawing a clear distinction between deaths resulting from the protests and those arising from other circumstances.
He said, “What you need to understand is this, the point I’m trying to make is that we have witnessed the direct killing of nationals of some countries by the protesters. In the protest of looting their shops, maybe they tried to stop them and they have confrontation with them, mass beatings as the case may be resorted to death. But that has not been the case of Nigerians in South Africa.”
Ebienfa added that the Federal Government remained concerned about the safety of Nigerians in South Africa and would continue to monitor developments, particularly cases involving alleged police brutality and criminal attacks.
“However, Nigerians have been killed while in police custody. Nigerians have been killed by criminals, like the shoot-and-run scenario in the case of the Bijo that I referred to. But that is different from the protesters that are moving around with their spears and machetes directly attacking a national and killing him on the spot. That is the difference I’m trying to make,” he said.
