Nigerians living abroad always have to live with great enmity from their host countries, especially from fellow African countries. South Africa, for many years, has been at the fore-front of unleashing undiluted hatred towards Nigerians, the recent xenophobic attack where properties and businesses of Nigerians living in that country were destroyed is a testament to this.
A Nigerian living in South Africa has narrated his ordeal in the hands of South African police, how he was accused of being in possession of drugs and then incarcerated without trial. He shared this on the popular social platform, Nairaland. Please read:
“I just got out from the jail for what I did not do. I was accused of being in possession of drugs. My only offense was that I went to the bank (bidvest sunnyside and fnb) withdrew money and they took all the money and also beat me up inside a bush and said all you Nigerians are smart and we will make life miserable for you all. They took 35k rands plus 5 other guys., 10k, 150k plus 180k they said they are corps in sunnyside. Yet we got to their office, they wrote that i am illegal immigrate. They said they only found house keys with us no money.
“They tore my passport on our way to their office and also my friend asalyum. There was a pastor in the cell jail with us also, an up coming pastor and has office which i know of yet they messed with him too. He is married to a Zimbabwean whose father is a south Africa and mother zemba…
“This has been a trend for many months or yrs now. i have heard of this but never thought it will come to me. why are south Africa citizen angry with Nigerians? what is our sin? That we kept fucking their sisters, giving them drugs, taking all over the country. i never believe that a police officer will do such things. His name is: cst motian, this is the same guy who killed a Yoruba guy, he’s known for sending and helping us to send money home. Because he took them to court and was wining the case. When they arrested me they said how am i making a living? i told them, lets go to my office, they say my ID’s and place of work but yet…they searched me, took all phones, monies and one of them drove my friend car away.
“When we got to the station police at sunnyside they told them we dont have papers, i have papers, they took it from me. i told the officer in the office that if i dont have a permit how come i was able to withdrew money from the bank? the officer said dont worry, one day is one day. now they gave me a form of detained for possession of drugs. if you are from igbo they wil write drugs on your form, if you are Yoruba they put illegal immigrate and fraud. only God knows.
“if you dont have money it’s a problem, when you have little it’s a also a problem. they arrested me inside a taxi. i dont even have a car. how long are we going to continue to leave in fear. please step in,please step in, please step in.
i told our embassy here yet nothing. please warn all Nigerians to be careful. those staff of Bidvest bank at sunnyside works with this people. if you open a case they will send an assassin.”
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