In a recent tragedy, 19-year-old Nigerian student, Stephen Afolabi Opaso, also known as Zigi, lost his life in Canada, after an encounter with the Winnipeg Police Service on December 31, 2023.
Quest Times reports that the Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Students Engagement, Mr. Sunday Asefon, in a statement on Saturday, strongly condemned this incident, labeling it as “barbaric, cruel, and heartless.”
Expressing solidarity with the grieving family and the student communities in Nigeria and Canada, Asefon promised to seek justice.
Moreover, he intends collaborating with the High Commission of Canada in Nigeria and work, alongside Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Chairperson of NiDCOM, to ensure a thorough investigation.
Asefon who was deeply troubled by the perception that the incident may have been racially motivated, highlighted that the student, who was reportedly facing a mental health crisis, did not have a gun at the time.
Acknowledging the concerns raised, he urged calm among Nigerian students, assuring them that he will diligently follow up on the case until Canadian authorities provide a transparent account of the student’s death.
Conclusively, he committed to working towards compensating the deceased student’s family, so as to prevent potential diplomatic tensions.