The Nigerian community in South Africa on Sunday confirmed the death of a Nigerian and the abduction of another in that country.
Ikechukwu Anyene, the president of Nigeria Union, South Africa, told NAN via telephone both incidents had been reported to the Nigerian mission in that country.
He said on Thursday, one Victor Nnadi, a native of Orlu in Imo state, was suffocated to death by the metropolitan police in Cape Town.
Anyene said witnesses saw the police handcuff the victim.
“When the people saw what happened, they raised an alarm and confronted the police,” Anyene said.
“The union`s chapter in Cape Town is already on top of the situation and trying its best to facilitate the release of the detained brother of the deceased.”
Anyene urged the federal government to persuade the South African government to put measures in place to stop the killing of Nigerians.
He said on December 24, the union got information that one Austin Agunwa, a native of Umuawulu, in Awka south local government area of Anambra state, was abducted by unidentified persons at Rustenburg, north-west province.
He said Nigerians in the province raised a search team, which later found the victim’s car abandoned, after a crash near a bridge.
Anyene said the vehicle had no blood stain.
“As we speak, we don’t know his whereabouts and nobody has claimed responsibility for his abduction,” Anyene said.
“We have directed the union`s chapter in the area to report the incident to the police and open a case on the missing Nigerian.”
Anyene also said that the union`s national body would liaise with Nigeria’s high commission to visit Rustenburg over the incident.
“We have also advised our people to be calm and remain law abiding as the union and the Nigerian Mission are handling the situation,” he said.
