MON JULY 06 2026-theGBJournal| The Federal Government has strongly condemned the recent killings of two Nigerians in South Africa, and called on President Cyril Ramaphosa’s administration to conduct urgent investigations into the heinous crime as well as several other pending cases of extra-judicial killings of Nigerian nationals in South Africa.
One if the victims, Emeka Charles Iroegbu, was reportedly killed by Tshwane Police officers on 28th June 2026, in Sunnyside, Pretoria, using gruesome interrogation techniques.
The second victim, Mr Musa Yunana Joe was killed in front of his shop on 28th June, 2026, in Witbank, Mpumalanga.
”Of great concern is that the killing was committed by yet-to-be-identified criminals,” the FG notes.
According to the FG, ”these two killings come at a time when foreigners are being unduly targeted in South Africa, and raises questions about deliberate attempt by some elements to wrongfully generalize and tag well meaning, hard-working, and respectable Nigerians as criminals.
It raises further questions over the general safety of Nigerian and other foreigners in South Africa.”
This same officers were allegedly responsible for the extra-judicial killing of another Nigerian, Mr Nnaemeka Mathew Andrew Ekpeyong whose case is still pending, with no arrests made, even though the four officers involved are known to the South African Police Service (SAPS).
The Federal Government denounced the continuing pattern of ”such terrible incidents” as clear evidence of complicity on the part of security operatives, especially officers of the Tshwane Metro Police, which equally raises the questions of state responsibility under International Law.
According to Nigeria’s Foreign Affairs Ministry,, the recorded data collected by the Mission in South Africa lays the grounds for criminal liability.
Meanwhile, the Foreign Affairs Ministry is irritated by recently televised public statement by the spokesperson of the South African Government, asking Nigerians leaving the country due to the ongoing xenophobic protests to show where they hide illegal drugs.
According to a statement by the Ministry, ”the unguarded public statements are unacceptable and are strongly condemned. Such derogatory, unprofessional and uncensored generalized public statements by highly placed government officials constitute hate speech that influences and incites negative and criminal actions against members of the Nigerian community.”
The Federal sounded a subtle warning to the South African Government of the consequences of their complicity in the crimes against humanity, while pointing to the numerous South African nationals and businesses operating safely in Nigeria without harassment of any kind.
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