A disturbing video presently going around on the internet has shown some South African police officers strangling a former Big Brother Naija (BBNaija) housemate Tayo Faniran as they attempted to arrest him in the country.

The incident further bears testament to the myriad of reports of xenophobia and the inhumane treatment Nigerians living in South Africa experience daily.

In the video streamed live on Tayo’s verified Instagram page, an unarmed Tayo was seen telling one of the officers who stopped his car to search that he cannot check his phone, but can go ahead to search his car.

As the argument went on, Faniran told the officer he is ready to follow him to the station, but will not allow him to have access to his phone.

He was heard telling the officer:

“Tell the whole world why you want to search my phone and why you want to put me in your van.

“You’re not going to harras me like a novice. Even though I’m not a citizen, I’m a law-abiding resident. You want to harras me like you do to all my brothers, do it now.

“This is what we go through in this country every day, they check into your car and start harassing you when they find out you are a Nigerian.”

Tayo insisted he was not going to enter the van because it had no police insignia.

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The officer responded:

“You will go with us by force.”

The officer then called for reinforcement, when his two other colleagues arrived, they were seen in the viral footage rolling up their sleeves preparing for combat.

They ordered Faniran to drop his phone, but he declined. When he did not put down his phone, the officers strangled him like a criminal, hijacked the phone and ended his live video.

 

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