More Nigerians Killed in South Africa Amid Ongoing Attacks

Two more Nigerians have been killed in South Africa as violence against black foreigners continues.

The Nigerian Consulate in Johannesburg shared the news in a statement on Saturday.

The victims, named Emeka Iroegbu and Musa Joe, were both killed on Sunday, June 28, but in different ways.

The consulate reported that Mr Joe was killed by "suspected criminals" in Witbank city, located in Mpumalanga province. Meanwhile, Mr Iroegbu was reportedly killed by security operatives in Sunnyside, Pretoria.

Mr Iroegbu was said to have been tortured to death by Tshwane Metro Police officers in Pretoria. The Nigerian consulate highlighted that he faced brutal torture techniques from the police, which led to his death.

PREMIUM TIMES noted that these recent deaths bring the total number of Nigerians killed in South Africa this year to four, following a new wave of xenophobic attacks. The pattern of these deaths is similar to those of two other Nigerians who were murdered earlier. Their names are Amaramiro Emmanuel and Ekpenyong Andrew.

Both men were arrested and allegedly beaten to death by the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) in Port Elizabeth. Mr Andrew's body was discovered days after his arrest on April 19 in the Booysens area of Pretoria.

He had been arrested after an alleged fight with Tshwane Metro Police members, and his body later ended up at the Pretoria Central Mortuary. Mr Emmanuel died the next day from injuries he got during the SANDF’s attack.

After these incidents, the Nigerian government called in the South African High Commissioner to demand a full investigation into the deaths of the two Nigerians.

This investigation is still ongoing, and no arrests have been made in the last two months. Nigerian officials have repeatedly condemned the attacks in South Africa but have urged Nigerians not to retaliate against South African interests in Nigeria.

South Africa's anti-foreigner campaign started in April, with videos showing citizens attacking African foreigners going viral. The deadline of June 30 set by some South Africans for foreigners to leave the country has added to the tension.

Last Tuesday, many South Africans took to the streets in various cities to protest against the presence of African migrants. They chanted "Abahambe!" which means "They must go!" in Zulu, the most widely spoken language in the country.

At least five Mozambicans and five Ethiopians have also reportedly died due to xenophobic violence in South Africa.

With the latest news from the Nigerian consulate, the death toll continues to rise. Hundreds of African foreigners have also been forced to flee their homes. During the protests last week, shops were looted and properties were destroyed, a common occurrence during xenophobic attacks in the country.

Several African nations, including Nigeria, Ghana, Mozambique, Malawi, and Zimbabwe have repatriated hundreds of their citizens.

The Nigerian consulate stated that the ongoing pattern of "such terrible incidents raises questions over the safety of Nigerians and other foreigners in South Africa."

"These deaths come at a time when foreigners are unjustly targeted in South Africa, raising concerns about a deliberate attempt by some to wrongly label hard-working, respectable Nigerians as criminals," the consulate said.

The consulate also demanded an immediate and thorough investigation into the murders.

"We expect the authorities to take the necessary actions and ensure that the perpetrators are prosecuted," the statement concluded.