The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) has expressed profound sorrow and indignation following the tragic deaths of two Nigerian citizens in separate violent incidents in the United Kingdom and Canada during the inaugural week of the year.
In a formal statement released on Friday, the Commission described the fatalities as “distressing and unacceptable,” while urgently calling for rigorous inquiries into the circumstances surrounding both deaths.
The first victim, identified as 23-year-old John Temitope Onetufo, was fatally stabbed on New Year’s Eve in the Lewisham district of London. In a separate act of violence, 46-year-old Osemwengie Irorere was shot and killed at the Yorkdale GO Bus Terminal in Toronto, Canada, last Sunday.
The Chairman of NiDCOM, the Honourable Abike Dabiri-Erewa, characterised the killings as both “shocking and deeply troubling.” In extending her heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families during this period of mourning, she commended the swift initial responses of the Metropolitan Police in London and the Toronto Police Service.
Mrs Dabiri-Erewa emphasised that justice must be pursued through “thorough, transparent, and timely investigations” to ensure those responsible are held to account. She further assured the public that NiDCOM, in collaboration with the Nigerian High Commissions in the United Kingdom and Canada, remains steadfastly committed to providing the necessary support to the affected families.
