A 50-year-old Nigerian man, Jeremiah Okoye, has died in the custody of the police in Limpopo, South Africa.
Okoye, who resided at 71, Magazyn Street, Polokwane Limpopo Province, before his demise, had lived in South Africa for 22 years.
This was disclosed to our correspondent in a statement on Friday by the President of the Nigerian Citizens Association, South Africa, Frank Onyekwelu.
Onyekwelu decried police brutality meted out to Nigerians in South Africa, calling for adherence to the rule of law.
“Investigations are ongoing as to what led to his untimely death,” Onyekwelu said. “We implore the police authorities to follow the rule of law in discharging their constituted duties.”
The NICASA president said Nigeria’s High Commission and the Consulate had been informed about Okoye’s death.
The statement added, “We hope that his death will not become a statistic like others before it. The death of Nigerians in South Africa, particularly under police custody has become a recurring issue that needs to be stopped. We fear that these recurring deaths of Nigerians in police custody if unchecked will become a dangerous pattern.”
Okoye hailed from Eziniffite Nnewi in Anambra State Nigeria.
