Two more Nigerians have been gruesomely murdered in South Africa, pushing the grim toll of Nigerians killed amidst the ongoing xenophobic violence to seven. The Nigerian Consulate in Johannesburg confirmed the devastating news on Friday, stating that Uchechukwu Nwankwo and Taiwo Fakunle were the latest victims.
Taiwo Fakunle met his tragic end last Friday, September 4th, in his Johannesburg residence. The consulate reported that the individuals responsible for his murder remain unidentified. "The report of this incident is one too many and has caused the family of the deceased, the Nigerian Community and Diplomatic Missions in South Africa much shock and pain," the consulate lamented.
Just a day later, Uchechukwu Nwankwo was killed by officers of the South African Police Service (SAPS) in Somerset West, Cape Town. This incident marks the sixth Nigerian death linked to South African security forces since the latest wave of anti-foreigner attacks began in April.
This latest violence follows a pattern of lethal encounters. In April, Amaramiro Emmanuel and Ekpenyong Andrew were killed by the South African National Defence Force (SANDF). Then, in June, Emeka Iroegbu was murdered. Most recently, on July 23rd, Ibeh Simon was killed during a SAPS operation in Bellville, Cape Town.
These repeated fatalities have understandably raised serious concerns about the safety of Nigerians and other foreign nationals in South Africa. The Nigerian Consulate pointed to a disturbing trend. It suggests a potential effort by some elements to unfairly label well-meaning Nigerian residents as criminals. Investigations into these cases are ongoing, but so far, no arrests have been made.
The consulate is urging the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) to speed up its inquiries and bring those responsible for these horrific acts to justice. In response, Nigeria's Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement expressing grave concern and condemning the killings. The ministry highlighted its worry that security officials, who are meant to protect citizens and foreigners alike, are allegedly using unacceptable interrogation methods that are resulting in deaths.
Nigeria has called upon the South African authorities to conduct immediate, thorough, and transparent investigations into the circumstances surrounding these two deaths. They must also ensure accountability for the perpetrators. The xenophobic campaign in South Africa initially gained traction in April. Disturbing videos of citizens attacking other Africans were circulating widely online. Tensions were further exacerbated by an arbitrary deadline imposed on African foreigners to leave the country by June 30th.
This led several nations, including Nigeria, Ghana, Mozambique, Malawi, and Zimbabwe, to repatriate their citizens.
These events underscore a persistent vulnerability for many foreign nationals living and working in South Africa. They raise profound questions about state responsibility and the safety of communities within the nation's borders.