Mistaken For A Kidnapper, 34-Year-Old Nigerian Mobbed To Death In South Africa

Following a mistaken identity, a 34-year-old Nigerian, Samuel Nkennaya, has been mobbed while another, Chinonso Nwudo, is in critical condition in a South African Hospital.

In a statement dated April 30 and signed by the Secretary of Mpumalanga Province branch of the Nigeria Union in South Africa, Victor Ayanfe-Oyebanjo who made the disclosure said the both men were accused of being kidnappers.

Oyebanjo disclosed that Nkennaya and Nwudo were attacked following accusations that both men kidnapped Chinonye, a six-year-old girl who, unknown to their attackers, is Nwudo’s daughter.

“It all started when Nwudo took his six-year-old daughter, Chinonye, to visit Nkennaya at White River town in the evening of April 27,” he said.

“Later, Nwudo and Nkennaya proceeded to buy food for Nwudo’s daughter, Chinonye, at KFC restaurant in the area. Thereafter, the community did not bother to ask questions and immediately mobbed the two Nigerians.

“While they were being attacked, Nwudo kept on shouting that the girl was his daughter and pleaded that they speak to his South African wife to confirm his claim — which actually saved his life.

“The Police later intervened and called for backup to rescue the victims. Nkennaya died at the hospital on April 28, while Nwudo is in critical health condition. The incident has been reported to NUSA’s national secretariat, while the union is currently seeking redress to ensure that the culprits were brought to book.”

Reacting, wife of Nwudo, Katlekho Ndlovu, a South African national, also confirmed the incident, saying Chinonye had been traumatised by the incident and was undergoing counselling in an undisclosed hospital.

“They (attackers) did not bother to ask her anything and didn’t even bother to remove her from the scene before beating her dad (Nwudo) unconscious. Chinonye’s dad is in the hospital while her uncle (Nkennaya) is dead,” she said amid tears.

It was reported that Nwudo’s death comes few days after the Nigerian Citizens Association in South Africa said a Nigerian from Nnobi, Anambra State, was killed by an unidentified gunman in South Africa.

“We received yet again the sad news of the death of another Nigerian in Witbank Mpumalanga province,” the group had said.

“Mr Tony Elochukwu from Nnobi Anambra State was shot twice in the head by an unidentified Nigerian gunman on April 24 at around 2:45pm. A lone Nigerian man walked to some Nigerians at a restaurant and inquired from them where to get some weed to smoke, but they told him that they did not know where since they do not smoke.”

Okoli said the man then pulled out his gun and shot Elochukwu on the head and sped off in a car parked down the street.

It is not clear whether the latest attack is part of the xenophobic attacks suffered by Nigerians and other African nationals in recent time.