Two Nigerians Killed in Separate Incidents
The Nigerian Consulate in Johannesburg has confirmed the deaths of two more Nigerians in South Africa, bringing the total number of Nigerians murdered since the latest wave of xenophobic attacks began this year to four. In a statement issued on Saturday, the consulate identified the victims as Emeka Iroegbu and Musa Joe, both killed on Sunday, 28 June, under different circumstances.
According to the consulate, Musa Joe was killed by “suspected criminals” in Witbank city, Mpumalanga province. Meanwhile, Emeka Iroegbu was tortured to death by officers of the Tshwane Metro Police in Sunnyside, Pretoria. The consulate noted that Iroegbu was subjected to gruesome torture techniques at the hands of the Metro police, which led to his death.
Pattern of Violence Mirrors Previous Deaths
The latest deaths mirror the pattern of two earlier Nigerian murders in South Africa. Amaramiro Emmanuel and Ekpenyong Andrew were arrested and allegedly beaten to death by personnel of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) in Port Elizabeth. Andrew’s corpse was found days after his arrest on 19 April in the Booysens area of Pretoria; he had been arrested after an alleged altercation with Tshwane Metro Police, and his body was discovered at the Pretoria Central Mortuary. Emmanuel died a day later due to injuries sustained from the SANDF attack.
Following those incidents, the Nigerian government summoned the South African High Commissioner and demanded a thorough investigation. However, the investigation is still pending, and no arrests have been made in two months. Nigerian officials have repeatedly condemned the attacks but urged Nigerians to avoid retaliatory violence against South African interests in Nigeria.
Xenophobic Campaign Intensifies
South Africa’s anti-foreigner campaign began in April, with footage of citizens attacking African foreigners circulating online. Tension has further escalated due to an arbitrary 30 June deadline announced by anti-immigrant South Africans for African foreigners to leave the country. Last Tuesday, many South Africans marched in cities across the country to protest the presence of African migrants, chanting “Abahambe!”—meaning “They must go!” in Zulu, the most widely spoken language.
The deaths of at least five Mozambicans and five Ethiopians have also been attributed to xenophobic violence. The latest announcement by the Nigerian consulate raises the death toll further. Hundreds of African foreigners in the country have been displaced. During last week’s protests, shops were looted and properties destroyed, as has become customary in xenophobic attacks. Several African countries, including Nigeria, Ghana, Mozambique, Malawi, and Zimbabwe, have so far repatriated hundreds of their citizens.
Consulate Demands Investigation
The Nigerian consulate stated that the continuing pattern of “such terrible incidents raises questions over the safety of Nigerians and other foreigners in South Africa.” The statement added: “The death is coming at a time when foreigners are being unduly targeted in South Africa, raising questions about what seems to be a deliberate attempt by some elements to generalise wrongfully and tag well-meaning, hard-working and respectable Nigerians in the country as criminals.” The consulate demanded a thorough and immediate investigation into the murders, saying, “We expect the authorities to do the needful and achieve the ultimate prosecution of the perpetrators.”
