Eight South African Police Facing Trials For Xenophobic Attacks

Eight South African police officers, who allegedly tormented and killed a Nigerian, Ibrahim Olamilekun Badmus, are standing trial at the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria South Africa.

The Chairperson of the Nigerian Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, who spoke with Channels TV on Friday, said she was happy with the progress being made with the case and hopes justice will be served.

Channels TV reports that the eight police officers – two women and six men – were arrested in October 2017 by police watchdog, the Independent Police Investigative Directorate for the torture and the murder of 25-year-old Badmus who was accused of selling drugs in the Vanderbijlpark area.

In connection to this, Abike warned that tendencies such as fighting, mistrust and division willalways lead the continent backward, hence, the need for Africans to walk together. 

Speaking during the US-African Door of Return Joint Session at the African Parliament, Midrand, she said Nigeria needs to cooperate with South Africa so as to bring positive transformation to the African continent.

She urged Africans to see themselves as brothers and sisters as that would solve the numerous problems bedeviling the continent.

“As Africans, we need to work together. Our unity is key.  Nigeria, South Africa, we need to work together to build this African continent, a continent of our dreams.

“We gain nothing by fighting. We gain nothing by hatred. But we gain everything by extending a hand of love, friendship and trust to one another; which is what all this is about.

“I hope that we continue communal engagement; talking with one another at the communal level, explaining to one another, educating one another that we gain nothing by fighting our brothers and sisters,” she said.