The Nigerian Citizens Association South Africa (NICASA) has condemned Wednesday’s killing of two Nigerians in South Africa by yet-to-be identified assailants.
NICASA President, Benjamin Okoli, who made the condemnation on Thursday in Abuja, said that two Nigerians were shot dead, while two others sustained injuries from gunshots by unidentified assailants in South Africa on Wednesday.
Wednesday’s killings brought to five, the number of Nigerians killed in April in South Africa.
Three Nigerians were reportedly killed between April 6 and April 9 at different locations in South Africa.
Okoli said the association had sought the intervention of the Nigerian Mission in South Africa to strategise and bring to an end, the unwarranted bloodletting among Nigerians in South Africa.
According to him, three Nigerians were shot at Sands Hotel Area of Berea, Johannesburg and two died instantly, while one is in a critical situation in hospital.
He said that another Nigerian was shot in Pretoria, but he survived with an injury on the leg.
“Information reaching us indicated that there was a meeting of some groups of Nigerians in a restaurant at Sands Hotel Area of Berea on Wednesday at about 11:00 a.m.
“Shortly after the meeting as the people started coming out from the restaurant, a gun fire erupted and two Nigerians were shot dead,” he stated.
According to him, one of those killed hailed from Ozubulu in Ekwusigo Local Government Area of Anambra State, while the other was a native of Arondizuogu in Imo State.
“The third victim is in a critical state and is currently receiving treatment at a hospital. We cannot confirm the name of the third victim, but he is a Nigerian.
“Also in Sunnyside Pretoria on Wednesday, another Nigerian was shot on the leg in crime hot spot in the area,” he said.
The president of the association lamented that such killings had become common among Nigerians in South Africa, saying other Nigerians in the country were worried about it.
The Consul-General of Nigeria in Johannesburg, South Africa, Mr. Godwin Adama, had earlier said that the killings were cult related and not xenophobic.
“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.
“The three other killings earlier recorded in April were cases of stabbing of Mr. Bonny Iwuola, in Turfontain in Johanesburg on April 6, and that of Gozien Christian from Agbor in Delta State, stabbed to death by three unknown assailants.
“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,” he said.
MM/GIK/APA