Suspected Nigerian drug dealer attacks police in South Africa

The Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department reported that a Nigerian suspect allegedly involved in drug trafficking attacked one of its officers during an operation in Randburg in the north of South Africa’s largest city.

The JMPD said its officers followed a lead of the Nigerian suspect on Sunday afternoon and that when they arrived at the scene, the suspect asked for backup as he had allegedly been robbed.

According to a Facebook statement on Monday, JMPD officers were following a trail of the suspect on Sunday afternoon when he (the suspect) called for backup, claiming he was being robbed.

A statement from the city police said: “This resulted in a violent attack on one of the officers.”

“In the events that followed, two suspects were shot, one was seriously injured and taken to Olivedale Hospital, the other suffered a hand injury. He was treated at the scene by paramedics and subsequently arrested.

“Reinforcements were requested and officers from the JMPD, SAPS and Gauteng Traffic Police arrived at the scene.

“A third suspect, who took the seriously injured man to the hospital, was identified and arrested by officers.

“The officer’s firearm was recovered by Douglasdale SAPS. A police vehicle was damaged in the incident.”

Lesiba Thobakgale, spokesperson for the South African Policing Union (SAPU), condemned the attack and said attacks on police officers were tantamount to attacks on the state itself.

Thobakgale argued for such crimes to be classified as treason and stressed the government’s responsibility to protect its law enforcement officers.

Thobakgale said: “Killings or attacks by police should be declared as treason because it is a crime against the state and the state has a responsibility to protect police officers who represent the state and not themselves.

“This action will show that the government takes such barbaric acts seriously.”

The JMPD said a case of attempted murder and public violence had been opened for further investigation.