Nigeria demands answers over death of its student in Kenya
By Fauxile Kibet
NAIROBI: The Nigerian government has demanded answers from Kenya following allegations of killing of Nigerian students by Kenyan police.
On Wednesday, dozens of Nigerian nationals living in the East African nation held demonstrations at their High Commission in Nairobi demanding audience with their ambassador over allegations that their colleague died in the hands of Kenyan police.
The demonstrators who chanted “they are killing us”, claimed that the deceased had been arrested by police whom they said physically assaulted him causing injuries that caused his death.
Demonstrators who spoke to journalists added that over the past month, at least four Nigerian nationals had died in Kenyan police custody – after the East African country launched a crackdown on illegal immigrants in the country.
They said that they will hold similar demonstrations every Thursday until the Nigerian ambassador in Kenya addresses their grievances with the Kenyan authorities.
“Kenya passed a law to drive away illegal immigrants in Kenya, there is no justification for illegal killing of foreigners in your country”, said Nigerian senior special advisor to the President on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora Abike Dabiri-Erwa said.
Extortion
The demonstrator also claimed that police always target them by carrying out illegal crackdowns and demand money from them saying that even those with genuine papers are not spared.
“We are living in fear after the Kenyan Interior Cabinet Secretary declared a crackdown on illegal immigrants. Police don’t want to follow the law,” one of the demonstrators said.
Since the crackdown on illegal immigrants started, the Kenyan government has deported over 100 immigrants. Kenya had asked all foreigners living in the East African nation to register afresh by 21st of July.
Some of the accusations used by the Kenyan authorities in effecting the deportations include criminal involvement by the foreigners. The Kenyan government says that it uses $3.60 million each year to deport illegal immigrants.