Aidoghie Paulinus, Abuja
President of the Nigerian Union in South Africa, Mr. Adetola Olubajo, has said that only prosecution would end the killing of Nigerians in South Africa.
This was even as he said that as a result of lack of prosecution, it was difficult to ascertain if the killings were perpetuated by South Africans, fellow Nigerians or other nationalities in South Africa.
In a telephone interview with Daily Sun, Olubajo said: “The major reason why it is not actually reducing or stopping is because there is no prosecution.
“When the killing happens, you won’t even know whether it is Nigerians that are killing Nigerians or South Africans killing Nigerians, though in some cases you have evidence that it is South Africans.”
Recall that the latest killing of Nigerians in South Africa was that of Mr. Martin Ebuzoeme, in Yoeville, Johannesburg, on July 12, 2018; and Mr. Ozumba Tochukwu Lawrence in Middleburg, Mpumalanga, South Africa, on July 6, 2018.
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Prior to the latest killings, there had been several others ranging from gun shots to lynching of Nigerians, with figures put at 118 since February 2016.
Olubajo insisted that the Nigerian Union in South Africa believed that it is lack of prosecution that is giving the perpetrators the confidence to continue in the crime.
Olubayo added: “As soon as the prosecution is there, anybody that wants to perpetrate the crime will be very careful.”
He added that Nigerians in South Africa are confident that since both the South African and Nigerian governments are already in talks over the killings, it would no longer be business as usual for the criminals, whether they were South Africans or Nigerians.
On the Early Warning Mechanism under discussion by both governments, Olubajo commended Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, for his efforts and said it was a step in the right direction.