34-year-old Nigerian, Samuel Nkennaya, has been killed while another Nigerian, Chinonso Nwudo is in critical condition in South Africa following mob attack.
According to a statement released by Victor Ayanfe-Oyebanjo, the Secretary of Mpumalanga Province branch of the Nigerian Union in South Africa (NUSA), 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 proceeded to buy food for Nwudo’s daughter, Chinonye, at KFC restaurant in the area. Shortly after buying the food, some bystanders raised false alarm alleging that both men kidnapped the six-year-old girl.
The community members immediately descended on them, beating 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.