A 40-year-old Nigerian, Olatunde Olaleye, has been shot dead in Pretoria, South Africa, prompting the Nigerian Union in South Africa (NUSA) to call for a thorough investigation into the incident.
NUSA President-General, Mr Smart Nwobi, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday, saying Olaleye was allegedly killed on September 21 while working at Spanata Bar and Grills in Mamelodi, Pretoria.
Olaleye, an indigene of Ikere-Ekiti, Ekiti State, was married and had two children, according to Nwobi.
He said the circumstances surrounding the killing were disturbing, following reports that Olaleye was allegedly shot by a South African national after an argument over whether a drinking glass should be taken outside the bar.
Nwobi added that the suspect allegedly returned to the premises after the shooting and threatened the management, reportedly saying that members of his crew would return.
The NUSA president-general called for a thorough, transparent and impartial investigation to establish the circumstances surrounding Olaleye’s death and ensure that the law takes its course.
“We cannot continue to lose Nigerians under circumstances that leave families devastated and communities traumatised,” Nwobi said.
He urged the Nigerian Mission in South Africa, including the Consulate-General and the High Commission in Pretoria, to intensify engagement with South African authorities over the incident.
Nwobi also called on the mission to explore available diplomatic channels to pursue the matter and strengthen measures to protect Nigerians living and working in South Africa.
He expressed NUSA’s solidarity with Olaleye’s wife, two children and the wider Nigerian community, while praying for the repose of his soul.
The union reiterated its call for justice and urged relevant authorities to ensure that the circumstances surrounding the killing are fully established.
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