The Consul General of Nigeria in Johannesburg, Mr Godwin Adama, has confirmed the murder of another Nigerian, Mr Chikamso Ufordi, in South Africa.
It was gathered that the deceased was allegedly shot dead by unknown assailants in a suspected love affair trangle.
Reacting to the development, yesterday, Adama, however, said he was yet to get the full report.
According to him, although the incident is highly condemnable, incidences like that are common in South Africa with one of the highest crime rates in the world.
“Murder statistics in South Africa indicate that over 50 people are violently murdered in a day, about 20,330 in a year.
“We are, however, investigating and equally following up police investigations on the matter to see the motive behind the attack.
“We are, however, not in a hurry to conclude that it was xenophobic or criminal,” Adama said.
He promised that the Consulate would partner the South African authorities to arrange a meeting with the locals, Nigerians, the police authority, to further adopt ways of preventing any form of xenophobic attacks in the future.
He further appealed to Nigerians resident in that country to operate within the confines of the law and not to engage in activities that would compromise their security.
Also reacting, the President of Nigerian Citizens Association in South Africa (NICASA), Mr Ben Okoli, confirmed the death in an interview with newsmen, yesterday in Abuja.
He said Ufordi died on the spot while his companion in his car sustained gunshot injuries.
Okoli, who explained that the incident happened last Friday night around Nigel Area of Johannesburg, South Africa, added that the assailants shot at Ufordi, who was driving his car with two other Nigerians.
“We got the information of the attack early the next morning and we swung into action to ascertain the true situation.
“It was alleged that Ufordi was involved in a love affair with a local girl.
“He had received warning several times to stop the relationship with the girl by her former local boyfriend.
“Some Nigerian friends had also advised him to stay away and stop the relationship.
“He, however, continued the relationship until his untimely death by assassins; the identities of the killers are yet to be confirmed,” Okoli said.
According to him, the local police in the area are already investigating the matter as soon as a case of murder and attempted murder was filed.
He said that the association was in touch with the Investigating Police Officer and would follow through with the case to ensure that the culprits were brought to justice.
He, however, advised Nigerians within Nigel community to remain vigilant and watchful of their environment.
Similarly, the former Deputy President of the Senate, Sen. Ike Ekweremadu, has called on the International Parliament for Tolerance and Peace (IPTP) holding in Ethiopia, to pay special attention to the xenophobic attacks on the African continent.
His Media aide, Mr. Uche Anichukwu, said in a statement, yesterday, that Ekweremadu made the call last Monday at the opening plenary of the IPTP, October session in Addis-Ababa, Ethiopia.
Ekweremadu, who chairs the Legal and Legislative Affairs Committee of the IPTP said, “Since we are holding this session in Africa, permit me to mention the issue of xenophobia, a development that worries me.
“There is a growing trend in acts and incidences of intolerance, which is destroying the brotherhood, peace, and mutual relationship among the people of Africa.
“As a special parliament focusing on tolerance and peace, we will not close our eyes to the cases of xenophobia wherever it exists.
“I also appeal to our brothers and sisters in Africa to not only continue to tolerate but to also respectfully accept one another as one people with a common destiny.”
The former speaker of the Parliament of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), however, commended the Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Ahmed Abiy, for his efforts at promoting tolerance and peace in the East African nation.
He also commended the prime minister for ending Ethiopia’s 20-year hostilities with Eritrea.
It is instructive that the effort of this government to engender peace was recently recognised with the bestowal of the Nobel Peace Prize on Prime Minister Ahmed Abiy.
The award is his contribution in driving the deal that ended the nearly 20-year old border hostilities between Ethiopia and Eritrea.
“I hope that our presence and work here will help to reinforce the Ethiopian Government’s policy of preaching and working for tolerance with its neighbours, which is yielding peace.
“I also hope that the prime minister’s vision of tolerance and peace will transcend the East African region and impact the rest of Africa, he said.
He also expressed satisfaction on the impact and expansion of the IPTP since its inauguration in Malta in July, 2018.