A former Big Brother Africa housemate, Tayo Faniran who was recently assaulted by some officers of the South African police has said the molestation was “a xenophobic case”
The reality TV star captured the incident, as he was being manhandled by the men of the South African Police, live on his Instagram page when it occurred.
The model cum singer in an interview with the Premium Times NG revealed how he was handcuffed and beaten up during the encounter.
“They beat the hell out of me, they beat me so much, put two handcuffs on me, and I had bruises and all. My clothes were torn; it was a case of pure bullying and molestation.
“It is a xenophobic case because when police touch you in this country, the moment they discover you are a Nigerian, the way you are spoken to, you can feel that element of bullying and oppression. They talk to you like you’re an animal. It’s a xenophobic case and it’s too rampant in this country,” Faniran said.
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Faniran explained that he was on his way to a shoot with two members of his camera crew when the police asked him to pull over.
“I was driving to a shoot with two of my camera crew guys and we had our cameras with us in the car. The police saw my car and pulled me over. They asked to check my car and we all came out of the car.
“They asked for my phone and I said, “I can’t give you my phone. What reason do you have to check my phone? Can you stop everybody driving and ask for their phones”? He told me that if I can’t drop my phone, I’ll drop it at the police station. Then I told them to take me to the police station. He ordered me to the back of the van and I asked why I should get to the back since I’m not a criminal?”
He further disclosed that he no other option except to go live on Instagram following threats from the South African policemen. Faniran added that they beat the hell out of him.
“I insisted that if I must follow them to the station I’ll drive while the police sit at the front of my car. I thought I was going to go through the counter. The policeman told me that I can’t drive my car and that if I don’t cooperate, he was going to do it forcefully. The only “thing I could do at that point to save my life was to go live on Instagram, so I could have people come for me. That was when I started making the video, by the time I was making the video, they called for backup and it came.
“They beat the hell out of me, they beat me so much, put two handcuffs on me, and I had bruises and all. My clothes were torn; it was a case of pure bullying and molestation.
“When we got to the police station, they didn’t take me through the counter, they took me through the back cell and beatings continued.”
Faniran, however, disclosed that the Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa, is working with the Nigerian consular general who has reached out to him on the matter.
“Mrs. Abike Dabiri is working with the Nigerian consular general and he later reached out to me. I had a meeting with the consular general and they assured me and said they are willing to fight for me. They want to take the case further but, the reason why I’m skeptical about continuing the court case in a country where I live in is because of my security. I don’t want anybody to be fired, I don’t want them to lose their job; they have families to feed and I cannot provide for them.
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“Also, I cannot preach love by demonstrating anger and hatred. I want to show them love and say I’ve forgiven them for what they have done to me.
I just want them to be embarrassed for their actions and if they can listen to me and I’m able to educate them just for a minute. This way probably they will learn and join me on this race of uniting Africa, of bringing love and peace to the continent,” Faniran said.
