THE Nigerian Union South Africa (NUSA) has agreed to work with the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) in the investigations into the death of Daniel Timothy Chinedu (33).

Police say Chinedu died after swallowing drugs he was being arrested for but the Nigerian community insists police beat him up and suffocated him to death for allegedly failing to pay a bribe.

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Chinedu, who according to NUSA’s Facebook page, is from Isiala Mbano in the Imo state of Nigeria, was killed while in police custody on January 23.

After meeting with IPID and the police last week, the union promised it would work closely with investigators to resolve the issues. The union would also help IPID finding eyewitnesses who claim they saw the police suffocate Chinedu on the day of the incident.

In a statement released by NUSA’s Gauteng Chairman, Mathew Okafor, the organisation pleaded with the Nigerian community to remain calm and patient with the police during the course of investigations.

“We would like to clearly state that the Nigerian Union has done its part and has asked the Nigeria Consulate to help. As it stands the Nigerian Consulate has taken up the matter. We ask the Nigerian Community to be calm and let the police do their job. We have confidence in the ability of the South Africa Police through IPID to investigate this issue,” Okafor said.