As Nigerians mourn Mrs Obianuju Ndubuisi-Chukwu, a Nigerian Insurance
chief, who was murdered in South Africa, the country again is grappling
with the ruthless assassination of a teenager in that country.
The latest killing brings to about 200 Nigerians killed in xenophobic
attacks between 2016 and this year.
South Africa is home to about 800,000 Nigerians, mostly young people,
according to unofficial records.
Ndubisi-Chukwu was the Deputy Director-General of the Chartered
Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN) and was killed on June 13 in her
hotel room.
The teenager, Chinonso Dennis Obiaju, 17, a Nigerian still in high
school was shot dead in Johannesburg on Saturday.
The President of Nigerian Union in South Africa, Mr Adetola Olubajo, who
confirmed the killing to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), said the
deceased student lived in Roodeprt, Johannesburg with his guardian.
Olubajo told NAN on telephone that his guardian, Mr Mike Nsofor,
disclosed that he was shot at about 6.30 p.m.
“He went to buy from a shop with his friend and someone chased and
opened fire on them, killing him,’’ he quoted the guardian as saying.
He added that the family would be burying him in South Africa, noting
that the union’s leaders in Johannesburg would be contacting him on
developments.
Olubajo said they were going to the Police on Monday to finalise on the
registry and provision of his papers.
“He was born here I learnt and the Mother is in the U.S.
“I have spoken to Mike Nsofor to pass the Nigerian community’s
condolences and call for justice to be served in this case as anybody
who hunts down a young schoolboy couldn’t have any justifiable
reasons,’’ Olubajo said.
He implored the Federal Government to urgently protect Nigerians in the
Diaspora.