The death of a Nigerian woman who had a heart attack after witnessing a street altercation demonstrates the “abject terror” being experienced by ethnic minority groups in Northern Ireland, the Justice Minister has said.
Naomi Long said the death of care worker Anu Okusanya, 46, who moved to Northern Ireland just over a year ago, was “devastating”.
Ms Okusanya’s family said she suffered a severe asthma attack that led to several cardiac arrests, when she ran to a neighbour’s house after witnessing an altercation involving a gang of youths in Newry on August 24th. She died days later in hospital.
Her brother Gbenga said she had been targeted by youths twice herself in recent months and fled the scene because she was fearful of being attacked again.
He said the first time his sister was targeted, youths banged on her door and were “terrorising” her, and the second time a boy approached her and poured liquid on her.
“She thought she was running for her life, but actually, unfortunately she ran into her death,” he told the BBC.
He added: “She ran into a neighbour’s house just to take cover and while that was happening the police came, and they saw her struggling, and they advised her to use her inhaler because she’s asthmatic.
“And she had two puffs of her inhaler and sat down, and she just slumped. She had about three or four cardiac arrests that night within 45 minutes and her brain had lost a lot of oxygen.
“There was no oxygen supply to her brain for over 45 minutes. So that caused a lot of brain damage and, you know, a lot of things just happened as a result of all this.”
Ms Long said the family’s story, which was first reported by the Newry Reporter, was “appalling”.
“I think it speaks to the abject terror that many people from the black and ethnic minority communities in Northern Ireland are living in at the moment,” she told the BBC.
“They are fearful. The number of people who I’ve spoken to over recent weeks who are afraid to go about their normal business in the normal way, who are fearful about using public transport, going out in the evenings with friends after doing a day’s work, is really horrific.
“And, as a society, I think we have got to get to grips, not just with the justice elements of this, and there are justice elements of this, but we have got to get to grips with the prejudice which underlies this kind of behaviour.
“We have got to deal with the societal attitudes that allow these situations to develop, and we have got to tackle the misinformation and disinformation about immigration that we see prevalent online, which is fuelling anger and hatred.
“And it is just tragic. These circumstances are just appalling, and I really do feel for the family, and I’d want to extend my sincere sympathy to them.”
PSNI Superintendent Norman Haslett, District Commander for Newry Mourne and Down, said: “My sincere condolences, and those of my colleagues, are extended to the family and friends of Anu Okusanya.
“When Anu became unwell, after having witnessed an altercation in Newry on August 24th, police officers performed CPR and applied a defibrillator in an attempt to save her life. She was taken to hospital but sadly passed away some days later.
“Our enquiries have established that this verbal altercation involved a number of individuals to which Anu was a witness but not directly involved.
“My sympathy is extended to Anu’s loved ones and friends. If anyone has any further information regarding the incident, please contact police using 101”.
