The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission has expressed dissatisfaction over the fatal killing of a 27-year-old Nigerian, Mr George Nkencho, in Ireland.
Abike Dabiri-Erewa, chairman of the federal government’s agency – NIDCOM, described the killing as “callous” in a statement on Thursday.
The PUNCH gathered that Nkencho was shot dead by gardaí ((Irish police) during an incident in west Dublin on Wednesday afternoon.
The Irish Examiner reported that a protest took place Thursday morning outside a garda station in Dublin following yesterday’s fatal shooting by gardaí of a 27-year-old man.
In a video that surfaced online, some protesters knelt outside Blanchardstown Garda Station in memory of Nkencho.
They also displayed placards with various inscriptions.
Tweeps on social media compared the Nigerian’s killing to high profile events in the United States, involving the death of black people at the hands of the police.
It was learnt that about five shots were discharged at the Nigerian after apparent attempts to subdue him by two tasers and pepper spray proved unsuccessful.
In a statement on Twitter, Nkencho’s sister Gloria said her brother was “suffering from serious mental illness and those who knew him know the type of person he was, he was not a thug nor a criminal.
“My siblings and I have witnessed the most traumatic experience of our lives as our brother was shot in front of us. I kindly ask (you) to refrain from sharing the video of the shooting. It is not something I wish to be reminded of.”
Dabiri-Erewa said she is “apparently disturbed” by the killing and called for “a full, thorough, and fair investigation into the matter”.
She also condemned, in strong terms, the killing of Nkencho.
The statement by NIDCOM Head of Media, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, said Dabiri-Erewa also described the death of the young Nigerian by a Police officer as “wicked”.
She appealed to “the obviously enraged Nigerian community in Ireland to exercise patience and await the outcome of an investigation into the unfortunate incident”.