Nigerian High Commissioner-Designate to South Africa, Ambassador Femi Fani-Kayode, has strongly condemned the alleged murder of a Nigerian national by members of the South African Police Service (SAPS). In a Facebook post on Tuesday, Fani-Kayode expressed shock and outrage after viewing a secretly recorded video that appears to show officers torturing a Nigerian man to death in his home in Bellville, Cape Town. The victim has been identified as Chika Ibe, a native of Abia State.
Video Shows Alleged Police Brutality
The graphic footage, which has circulated on social media, depicts SAPS officers restraining Ibe in a manner that witnesses claim involved strangulation and suffocation. A plastic bag was reportedly placed over his head as he screamed in agony. Ibe later died from the injuries sustained during the incident. The South African police have denied any wrongdoing, but the video has sparked outrage among Nigerians both at home and abroad.
Fani-Kayode's Strong Response
Fani-Kayode wrote on Facebook: "I just watched a secretly recorded video of a Nigerian national being beaten to death by members of the South African police force in his home and I am mortified. The video is online. I listened to the young man's screams as they put a plastic bag over his head and tortured him and I was badly shaken." He added: "The vilification, persecution, targeting, extra-judicial killing, racial stereotyping and murder of Nigerians in South Africa is unacceptable and will not be tolerated."
A History of Violence Against Nigerians
The ambassador highlighted a troubling pattern: since 2022, no fewer than 90 Nigerians have been murdered by Afrophobic forces, mobs, and South African police officers, with no arrests or convictions. In 2026 alone, six Nigerians have been killed, three of them by police. Despite these incidents, impunity remains the norm. Fani-Kayode noted: "This year alone 6 have been killed and of those 6 three were killed by South African police. Again no arrests and the one person that was initially arrested was released and has now disappeared."
Diplomatic Efforts and Bilateral Relations
Fani-Kayode revealed that he had raised the issue during a meeting with the South African Foreign Minister the day before, where both sides agreed to de-escalate rhetoric and work together to stabilize the situation. He emphasized: "If our relations are to stabilise with South Africa this has to stop. We have made much progress and we had a productive meeting with the South Africans yesterday where we agreed to descalate the rhetoric and work closely together to stabilise the situation and build stronger bilateral ties." However, he stressed that more action is needed: "Action speaks louder than words."
Public Outrage and Calls for Justice
The video has ignited widespread condemnation on social media, with many Nigerians demanding justice for Chika Ibe and an end to what they describe as Afrophobia. Fani-Kayode concluded his post by declaring: "Nigerian lives and souls are precious before God and I am not one of those self-deprecating Nigerians who places no value on our people and who sees nothing good in our nation. Call me a hardliner if you like but a situation whereby since 2022 no less than 90 Nigerians have been murdered by Afrophobic forces, rampaging mobs, South African policemen and others and not one person has been arrested let alone convicted for any of these heinous crimes speaks volumes."
