Nigeria says two citizens killed as anti-migrant violence surged in South Africa

Johannesburg ― Nigeria said two of its citizens were killed in South Africa, one of them by police, during a surge in anti-migrant violence, and threatened to take unspecified action if the attacks persisted.

The main police watchdog said on Monday it had already opened an investigation into the report involving officers. South Africa’s foreign ministry said Nigeria should send in any evidence it had.

One Nigerian man was killed in front of his shop in the northeastern city of eMalahleni by unidentified criminals, Nigeria’s foreign ministry said on Sunday.

It gave no more details on the circumstances around the incident, which it said took place on Sunday, June 28 — on a weekend when tensions were building up ahead of nationwide anti-migrant rallies last week.

The Nigerian ministry said another man, Emeka Iroegbu, was killed by police officers in Pretoria during an interrogation the same day. It did not say whether the incident was linked to the unrest.

South Africa’s Independent Police Investigative Directorate said it had received a report on the incident last week. “Our investigation is underway,” the oversight body’s spokesperson, Lizzy Suping, said on Monday.

South Africa did not comment on the specific allegations. “Our legal frameworks demand substantive proof rather than public narrative. We have repeatedly invited the Nigerian High Commissioner to use these established institutional channels,” foreign ministry spokesperson Chrispin Phiri said.

South Africa deployed its army to bolster security during the protests, which were mostly peaceful but at times turned violent.

Vigilantes have attacked foreign nationals and looted foreign-owned shops on numerous occasions in the last few months, as many South Africans blame immigrants for problems such as crime and unemployment.

Migrant rights groups say foreigners are being used as scapegoats for deep-rooted problems.

Mozambique said that five of its citizens were killed in xenophobic attacks in late May. South Africa said the number was only two.

Ghana said last week one of its citizens was fatally wounded in a shooting during the anti-immigrant demonstrations. South Africa said his killing was not related to the protests and accused Ghana of spreading misinformation.

Nigeria’s foreign ministry said on Sunday: “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… against foreigners is not addressed.”

“The continuing pattern of such terrible incidents is clearly evidence of complicity on the part of security operatives… which raises the question of state responsibility under international law,” the ministry added.

Reporting by Nellie Peyton; Additional reporting by Alexander Winning; Editing by Andrew Heavens