The Federal Government has expressed satisfaction over the justice meted out to the South African police officer found guilty of killing a Nigerian, Ebuka Okoli, in South Africa.
The chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, NIDCOM, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, made the position of the government known on Saturday in a statement by the Head of Media and Public Relation Unit of the commission, Abdur-Rahman Balogun.
“We are glad that justice has been done.
“We had always stated that there has to be consequences for actions. We are glad that this case finally came to an end and South Africa has demonstrated the political will to deal with xenophobia,” she said.
NIDCOM boss implored Nigerians in South Africa to adhere to President Muhammadu Buhari’s admonition to be the best whereever they might find themselves.
She added that Nigeria and South Africa would continuously work at a United Africa while those who perpetuate crime irrespective of their nationality should face the penalty for their actions.
Dabiri-Erewa commended the Nigerian Mission in Johannesburg for painstakingly following through with the case and other cases involving Nigerians.
Speaking in the same vein, the Consul General of Nigeria in South Africa, Mr Godwin Adama, said that he was happy that the case came to an end on Friday with judgment pronounced on the guilty police officer.
He recalled how his deputy, Mr. M.J. Sambo, had been at the court with the provincial chairman of NICASA and members of Nigerian Community in Durban, Kwazulu Natal Province.
He disclosed that the second case of 8 policemen being tried for the murder of a Nigerian, Ibrahim Olamilekan Badmus, was adjourned till April 2020 for final ruling due to some technical issues.
He expressed optimism that judgment in other matters were expected to be in favour of Nigeria.
The excited Adama said the judgment of Friday had raised the spirit and morale of Nigerians in South Africa.
It will be recalled that the case started since 2018 when a Nigerian, Ebuka Okoli, was killed by a South Africa police officer and was found guilty of all the four count charges.
There is no death sentence in South Africa’s laws except life sentence or long sentence for the murder.
