Nigeria said two of its nationals have been killed in South Africa, warning that the deaths came amid a worsening climate of hostility toward foreigners.
The Nigerian Foreign Ministry said Emeka Charles Iroegbu was reportedly killed on June 28 in Pretoria by officers from the Tshwane Metro Police Department, alleging that “gruesome interrogation techniques” were used.
On the same day, Musa Yunana Joe, a Nigerian shop owner, was killed by unidentified attackers outside his business in eMalahleni, the ministry said.
South African authorities have not yet publicly commented on the allegations.
Abuja said the killings occurred “at a time when foreigners are being unduly targeted” in South Africa, where anti-migrant sentiment has intensified in recent months. The ministry said around 25,000 African nationals have been repatriated by their governments, including about 700 Nigerians.
Anti-migrant groups in South Africa have accused undocumented foreigners of taking jobs and placing pressure on public services. Some groups had issued a June 30 deadline for undocumented migrants to leave the country.
Nigeria said it had placed South Africa “on notice,” warning that “all options remain on the table” if what it described as intolerance and “apartheid-style behaviour” toward foreigners is not addressed.
The ministry also said Abuja would seek compensation for Nigerians who have left South Africa, adding that it had begun documenting businesses and properties abandoned by its citizens.
South African cabinet minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni rejected the compensation demand on Friday, saying Nigerians could sell any registered properties they left behind through the South African market.
She also said Pretoria would be interested in knowing “where the drug dens of Nigerians are” so authorities could clear them.
Nigeria strongly condemned the remarks, calling them “unacceptable” and describing them as a form of hate speech.
“Such derogatory, unprofessional and uncensored generalised public statements by highly placed government officials constitute hate speech,” the ministry said.
Ghana, Malawi and Nigeria are among the African countries that have repatriated some of their citizens from South Africa ahead of the June 30 deadline issued by anti-migrant groups.
South Africa, the continent’s most industrialised economy, continues to attract migrants from poorer countries seeking work. But with unemployment above 30%, anti-foreigner rhetoric has gained ground, with migrants increasingly blamed for joblessness, crime and pressure on public services.