Government spits fire over killing of Nigerians in South Africa, demands justice

The Federal Government condemned the killing of two Nigerian nationals in South Africa, calling for urgent investigations and the prosecution of those responsible. This condemnation was issued on Sunday by Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. One victim, Emeka Charles Iroegbu, was allegedly killed by officers of the Tshwane Metro Police in Sunnyside, Pretoria, on June 28, 2026, during "gruesome interrogation techniques."

Earlier, on April 20, 2026, these same officers were allegedly responsible for the extra-judicial killing of another Nigerian, Mr Nnaemeka Mathew Andrew Ekpenyong. His case is still pending, with no arrests made, even though the four officers involved are known to the South African Police Service (SAPS). The second victim, Mr. Musa Yunana Joe, also known as Big Joe, was killed in front of his shop on June 28, 2026, in Witbank, Mpumalanga, by yet-to-be-identified criminals. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that these killings come at a time when foreigners are being unduly targeted in South Africa.