Nigerians living in Kenya on Wednesday stormed their High Commission in Nairobi to protest the death of a fellow Nigerian student who allegedly died in the hands of Kenyan police.
The Nigerian nationals demanded audience with their ambassador, claiming the deceased was last seen in a police vehicle and later succumbed to injuries they claim were inflicted by law enforcement officers who had arrested him.
The protesters overpowered security guards at the High Commission to gain entry.
They said Kenyan police have turned them into cash cows in the ongoing crackdown on illegal immigrants.
“They walk in your house and no one is spared. It does not matter whether you have genuine papers or not, they just need your money,” said another protester.
It took the intervention of police officers from Kilimani Police station to calm the situation that threatened to get out of hand as they shouted that Kenyan police were killing them.
Foreign workers were then given a 60-day ultimatum by Interior CS Matiangi to present proper documents.
According to CS Matiang’i, the country’s high unemployment rate is the main reason behind the crackdown on illegal foreign workers in Kenya.
“Give me one reason why we need to give a permit to someone coming to be an accountant in Kenya or in the case of civil society, why give a permit to a program officer with the number of graduates who have masters degrees,” he posed.
Some foreigners have been accused of engaging in criminal activities, which necessitated the operation.
According to Matiangi, Kenya spends Sh360 million annually to deport illegal immigrants.
The Students on their part are demanding justice for one of their own who they believe wasn’t posing any security threat to the country. The student has been identified as Bamiyo. He was a student at USIU-Africa (Kenya)
Today i lost a friend from USIU-africa (kenya) He is a nigerian and its suspected that police beat him yesterday causing his death this morning . Its unfair . we dont know his crime but we want justice . #justiceforbamo pic.twitter.com/oPU3l6bQAa
— ✨whitney✨? (@ytlisious) October 16, 2018