23/01/2025
Protest erupts as Nigerian man passes away in South African Police custody
Nigerians living in South Africa have staged a protest over the d3ath of one Jeremiah Offorbike Okoye while in police custody.
The Nigerians Citizens Association South Africa (NICASA), the organisation representing the protesters, has called for justice for the 50-year-old Okoye, who reportedly di3d on Monday, 13 January 2025, in Limpopo, South Africa.
NICASA President, Frank Onyekwelu, revealed in a statement that Okoye, originally from Nnewi in Anambra State, had lived in South Africa for 22 years. The exact cause of his death remains unknown.
According to him, “Investigations are ongoing as to what led to his untimely d3ath. We implore the police authorities to follow the rule of law in discharging their constituted duties.
Late Mr Jerry who resides at 71 Magazyn Street Polokwane Limpopo Province South Africa hails from Eziniffite Nnewi in Anambra State Nigeria. He has been living in South Africa since the past 22yrs.
NICASA executives have also made contacts with the victim’s family and friends in Limpopo. Our High Commission and Consulate has been officially informed and actions are currently been carried out in this regard.
We say no to police br¥tality and k+llings, demanding justice for late Mr Jerry. Our lives matter, nationality is not criminality.
We implore all our citizens to be law abiding and allow the government authorities to utilize all their resources to unravel the circumstances surrounding the d3ath of Mr Jeremiah. We hope that his d3ath 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 the recurring d3aths of Nigerians in police custody if unchecked will become a dangerous pattern.”
