By FORTUNE ABANG

The Nigerian Citizens Association South Africa (NICASA) has decried the alleged kidnapping of Mr Clifford Iroka, a Nigerian, by South Africa Police Service (SAPS).

The President-General of NICASA, Mr Benjamin Okoli, made this known on Monday in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

He narrated that some SAPS personnel assaulted Iroka in the Boksburg area of East Rand, Johannesburg, on Jan. 9, and kidnapped Iroka from a Barbershop in the area.

“They pulled him out from the Barbershop and pushed him into their police van, took turns in beating and kicking him in the ribs, head, waist and legs.

“Iroka was brutalised and lost consciousness. At the point, they realised he was dying, they took him to hospital, where he was in coma for 9 days.”

He said that the matter was duly reported to Mr Andrew Idi, Consul-General of Nigeria in Johannesburg, who visited Iroka at the hospital.

Okoli explained that the matter was duly reported to the Independent Police Investigation Directorate (IPID) which resulted in the arrest of the police personnel.

He also said that the personnel were remanded in prison, adding the previous case of their involvement in the alleged killing of a Nigerian in 2018 was under investigation by the IPID.

“The matter is still under investigation, with this new matter occurring, involving the same police officers”.

Okoli extolled Idi’s support and commitment to Nigerians to have ensured the safety and protection of their property in the country.

“Since Idi arrived in Johannesburg, we regained our dignity as a community from those bad elements in the society, who enjoy trampling on people’s rights and dignity.

“We hope for more successes in his duty in South Africa, particularly his intervention on issues that surround the kidnap of Iroka, we hope the culprits are convicted.

“This will serve as a deterrent to others who may want to follow the same criminal and xenophobic steps.

“We express confidence in the Judiciary with the hope that justice will be served, we also appeal to Nigerians in South Africa to be law abiding and peaceful,” he added. (NAN)

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