Follow Us on Google
The Federal Government has condemned the killing of two more Nigerians in South Africa, warning that it may be forced to take diplomatic action if the continued attacks on its citizens are not halted.
The latest deaths come amid renewed anti-migrant tensions in the country, with Abuja accusing some South African security personnel of complicity and demanding swift justice for the victims.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs identified the deceased as Emeka Charles Iroegbu and Musa Yunana Joe, popularly known as Big Joe, saying both men were killed in separate incidents on the same day.
According to the ministry’s spokesperson, Kimiebi Ebienfa, Iroegbu died after he was allegedly subjected to brutal interrogation by officers of the Tshwane Metro Police in Sunnyside, Pretoria, on June 28.
Ebienfa said the same officers had previously been linked to the alleged extra-judicial killing of another Nigerian, Nnaemeka Mathew Andrew Ekpenyong, whose case remains unresolved.
“No arrests have been made, even though the four officers involved are known to the South African Police Service (SAPS),” he said.
The ministry added that Joe was shot dead outside his shop in Witbank, Mpumalanga, by yet-to-be-identified attackers.
The killings follow earlier reports by the Nigerian Consulate in Johannesburg that at least two Nigerians had lost their lives during a wave of xenophobic violence. However, some Nigerians evacuated from South Africa have claimed the actual number of victims is significantly higher.
Expressing concern over the recurring attacks, the Federal Government said the pattern of violence raises serious questions about the treatment of Nigerians and other foreign nationals in South Africa.
“The continuing pattern of such terrible incidents is clearly evidence of complicity on the part of security operatives, especially officers of the Tshwane Metro Police, which raises the question of state responsibility under International Law,” Ebienfa said.
“The recorded data collated by our Missions lays the grounds for criminal liability. It is a fact that South Africa currently has one of the highest rates of crime globally, including the culture of looting and mob action. Nigerians are more civil in our engagements with foreign nationals, and we always uphold the rule of law when dealing with illegalities. It is therefore unfair to target foreigners and make them scapegoats of endemic socio-economic conditions that need to be addressed by the authorities.”
The ministry urged South African authorities to urgently investigate the latest killings and other unresolved cases involving Nigerian nationals, insisting that those responsible must be prosecuted.
“We wish to place the Government of South Africa on notice that if the situation continues to persist, all options remain on the table, some of which will be activated if the uncultured and provocative trend of intolerance and apartheid-style behaviour of South Africa against foreigners is not addressed,” the statement added.
The Federal Government said it sympathises with the families of the victims and will continue engaging South African authorities at the highest level until justice is served, while pushing for stronger protection for Nigerians residing in the country.
