Man who suffered ‘racially-motivated’ attack says he regrets moving to NI

A man whose car was set on fire on the Rathcoole estate in County Antrim said he feared attackers would try to kill him next.

The victim, who is Nigerian and wished to remain anonymous, said he regretted the day he moved to Northern Ireland to study because he had been subjected to years of direct and indirect racism.

His home in Mournebeg Drive has been targeted three times in the past five months in what he said were “racially motivated” attacks.

This The latest in a series of racist attacks in Northern Ireland Last week, including an attack on two houses in Belfast at the weekend.

‘I don’t know if this will be my next life’

Warning: Contains offensive language

Attacks on the man’s home have included graffiti being sprayed on a wall in recent weeks, a brick being thrown through a window and his car being targeted in an arson attack on Sunday night.

“My biggest fear is burning the house down,” he told BBC News NI.

“I don’t know if this will be my next life.

“Maybe they want to come kill me or stab me.

“I’m afraid of the house, I’m afraid of the street, I’m afraid of the community. I’m afraid of my neighbors. I don’t know who is who,” he said.

“They might set the house on fire. I can’t change their mentality.”

He said his plan was to leave Northern Ireland and go to another part of the UK.

“Or I’ll probably go back to my home country, Nigeria. I don’t care since that’s what they want,” he said.

The victim said he was described as a “monkey” by a man talking to his own children on the street last year.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) has been approached for comment.