The Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, yesterday, described the alleged killing of 19-year-old Afolabi Stephen, a Nigerian student in Manitoba, Canada, as wicked. She promised that the commission will ensure that justice is served.
In a condolence message issued by the Director of Media and Public Relations and Protocols, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, the NIDCOM boss expressed shock over the news.
“We are in touch with the Nigerian mission in Ottawa who have the assurances of the Canadian authorities that investigations into the unfortunate incident have begun and will be thorough.
“We offer our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Afolabi, and pray unto God to allow his gentle and innocent soul rest in perfect peace,” she said.
Reports have it that Afolabi was allegedly killed by policemen on December 31, 2023. Though details of his death are still sketchy, the Winnipeg, Manitoba Police Department, in a statement posted on its website via Winnipeg.ca, said its officers responded to a call about a young male who was acting “erratically”.
The police noted that upon arrival, efforts to calm the young man proved abortive, which led to the discharge of a firearm by the police and ultimately led to his death.
