Two Nigerians Killed in Fresh South Africa Attacks

Two more Nigerians have been killed in separate attacks in South Africa, amid renewed concerns over the safety of foreign nationals following a wave of xenophobic violence in the country.

The Nigerian Consulate in Johannesburg confirmed the deaths in a statement, identifying the victims as Emeka Iroegbu and Musa Joe.

According to the consulate, Musa Joe was allegedly killed by suspected criminals in Witbank, Mpumalanga Province, while Emeka Iroegbu reportedly died after being tortured by officers of the Tshwane Metro Police in Sunnyside, Pretoria.

The consulate alleged that Iroegbu was subjected to severe torture by the security operatives, leading to his death, and called for justice over the incident.

The latest killings come as hundreds of Nigerians continue to flee South Africa following renewed anti-foreigner protests spearheaded by the March and March movement, which had issued a June 30 deadline for undocumented foreigners to leave the country.

So far, no fewer than 859 Nigerians have been evacuated since the fresh wave of xenophobic attacks began, with many abandoning their homes, businesses and other investments.

Although South African authorities have distanced themselves from the protests, many affected foreigners have accused the government of failing to provide adequate protection.

The Federal Government had earlier announced plans to seek compensation for Nigerians who lost properties and livelihoods during the attacks.

Acting Nigerian High Commissioner to South Africa, Temitope Ajayi, said authorities were documenting losses suffered by affected citizens to support discussions on possible compensation.

However, South Africa’s Minister in the Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, rejected the proposal, insisting the government would not compensate foreign nationals for properties abandoned during the unrest.

Ntshavheni also made controversial remarks linking some Nigerians to drug-related activities, stating that authorities would be interested in identifying locations allegedly used for illegal drug operations rather than discussing compensation claims.