Nigerians residing in South Africa, recently, took to the streets of Johannesburg to protest against the alleged brutality and extrajudicial killings of Nigerians by the South African police.
The protest, organised by the Nigerian Citizens Association in South Africa under the theme “Protest march against brutality, intimidation and harassment, violent damage to business properties, robbery, assault, and death of our citizens in the hands of South African police,” unfolded at Peter Roos Park, Empire Road Parktown JHB on Monday.
During the demonstration, participants called for justice for a Nigerian individual who, as claimed by the protesters, had routinely paid bribes to the police but was fatally assaulted when he informed them that he had no money to offer on this occasion.
One protester recounted the incident, stating, “Today, this guy didn’t have money, and he started running and he had only one ganger (narcotic) he was smoking on his hand. They chased him to Taxi Reck, we all went there, and they grabbed this boy and handcuffed him behind and started beating him. They brought a plastic bucket and put it on his head and poured tear gas on him.”
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Expressing their discontent, the protesters questioned the actions of the South African police, with one stating, “I want to know if their job is to kill somebody or to protect human beings? It is injustice, and it doesn’t work like that. We are all human beings.”
Another protester highlighted the alleged extortion practices of the police, stating, “Normally, if they meet you on the street, if you find them something, they would let you go and do your things. It is the job of the police, we know.” However, in this case, the deceased did not have the money, and the situation escalated, leading to the tragic outcome.
In a broader context, a Nigerian individual identifying himself as Alma King of Nigeria, South Africa, and His Royal Majesty Eze Ndigbo, South Africa, addressed the South African Minister of Police and President Ramaphosa, expressing concerns about the persistent issue of police brutality, violence, and killings of Nigerians in South Africa. Allegations of collaboration between criminals and law enforcement officers were also raised during the protest.
The longstanding problem of violence against Nigerians and other African nationals in South Africa was emphasized, with Nigeria experiencing numerous cases of its citizens being killed in the country on an annual basis. #Nigerians