Nigerians hospitalised after mob attack in South Africa

Some days ago, specifically Wednesday and Thursday April 2nd and 3rd, Nigerians in Johannesburg and Pretoria were physically attacked by a group of organized gang members and Commercial Taxi drivers in South Africa. These hoodlums destroyed and looted over 25 shops belonging to Nigerians. Though no Nigerian died in the attack, Nigerian residents there say at least ten Nigerians have been hospitalized with a few battling for their lives.

The attack according to the President of the Nigerian Union in South Africa, Ikechukwu Anyene, started last week from Johanessburg where some gang members attacked some Nigerians and looted their shops. They extended the organized attack to Pretoria this week.

 

Anyene said the South Africans say they are angry with Nigerians residing there for selling illegal drugs to South Africans.

"Officials of Nigerian mission in South Africa and Union officers went round yesterday to assess the extent of damage done to business centres and shops owned by Nigerians. In Pretoria, 25 shops belonging to Nigerians were attacked and looted by the gang. Ten Nigerians are now receiving treatment in some hospitals while one of them is still in coma. We have reported the incident to the police in the central business district of Pretoria, where the bulk of the attacks took place. The South African police have made entry on our report and pledged to investigate the attacks. We have also appealed to our people (Nigerians) to be calm and law abiding because the Union and the Nigerian mission were handling the situation. As we speak, we have not recorded any attack today, April 4, and everywhere is calm,’’ Anyene said