A Nigerian man has been killed while another is facing a critical condition in south Africa, following a mob attack drawn from false alarm.
34-year-old Nigerian, Samuel Nkennaya was killed while Chinonso Nwudo is in critical condition in South Africa following the attack.
According to a statement released by the Secretary of Mpumalanga Province branch of the Nigerian Union in South Africa (NUSA), Victor Ayanfe-Oyebanjo, Nkennaya and Nwudo were attacked following accusations that both men kidnapped Chinonye, a six-year-old girl, who unknown to their attackers was Nwudo’s daughter.
Ayanfe-Oyebanjo said trouble started when Nwudo took his six-year-old daughter, Chinonye, to visit Nkennaya at White River town in the evening of April 27. Later, Nwudo and Nkennaya went to buy food for Chinonye, at KFC restaurant in the area. Shortly after buying the food, some bystanders raised false alarm claiming that both men kidnapped the six-year-old girl.
The community members immediately pounced on them without a second thought, hitting them with different kinds of weapons. Nwudo began to shout 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 statement added that the police later intervened and called for backup to rescue the victims. Nkennaya died at the hospital on Sunday April 28th while Nwudo is in critical health condition.