A routine traffic operation on a South African highway ended in tragedy in the early hours of Wednesday after a 37-year-old Nigerian man, Osinakachukwu Onu, was shot dead by police officers in Klerksdorp, North West Province, sparking outrage and renewed concern over the safety of Nigerians in the country.
Onu was killed around 3 a.m. on the N12 highway, allegedly after being chased by traffic police officers during an operation.
South African police authorities have since confirmed that four traffic police officers, aged between 25 and 36, have been arrested in connection with the killing. The officers were apprehended on Wednesday after reportedly fleeing the scene following the shooting.
Confirming the arrests, North West provincial police said the officers are facing charges of murder and defeating the ends of justice.
“Four traffic police officers have been arrested in connection with the fatal shooting of a Nigerian national on the N12 in Klerksdorp,” the police said in a statement.
According to the provincial police spokesperson, Colonel Adéle Myburgh, Onu, who was said to be legally resident in South Africa, was pursued by the officers during the traffic operation. During the chase, he was allegedly shot.
His vehicle was later found stalled in the middle of the road on the opposite side of the highway, while the officers involved were no longer at the scene when police responders arrived.
“It was discovered that the traffic officers involved had already left,” the police said.
Preliminary investigations later led detectives to another location in Klerksdorp, where the four suspects were traced and arrested. Their service firearms were seized and will undergo forensic ballistic analysis as part of ongoing investigations.
The officers are expected to appear before the Klerksdorp Magistrate’s Court on Thursday, December 18, where they will be formally charged.
Reacting to the development, the North West Acting Provincial Commissioner, Major General Ryno Naidoo, welcomed the arrests and praised detectives for acting swiftly.
“This sends a strong message that no one is above the law,” Naidoo said, commending the investigators for what he described as a decisive and professional response.
The killing of Onu has deepened anxiety within the Nigerian community in South Africa and adds to a disturbing pattern of reported killings of Nigerians in the country, often under contentious circumstances.
As investigations continue, questions remain over what led to the fatal shooting, why the officers allegedly fled the scene, and whether Onu’s death could have been prevented.
For now, another life has been lost on foreign soil, thereby leaving behind grief, unanswered questions, and a growing demand for justice.