By Ayodele Oni
The Nigerian Consulate in Johannesburg has confirmed the death of two more Nigerians in South Africa, as violent attacks and harassment of black foreigners escalate across the country.
The victims, identified as Emeka Iroegbu and Musa Joe, were both killed on Sunday, 28 June, in separate incidents in Gauteng and Mpumalanga provinces.
According to the consulate’s statement, Mr Joe was killed by “suspected criminals” in Witbank, Mpumalanga province.
Mr Iroegbu was allegedly tortured to death by officers of the Tshwane Metro Police in Sunnyside, a suburb of Pretoria.
The consulate said the victim was subjected to “gruesome torture techniques” while in custody, which led to his death.
The latest killings bring to four the number of Nigerians confirmed murdered in South Africa since the current wave of xenophobic attacks began in April.
The deaths mirror those of two other Nigerians killed earlier this year: Amaramiro Emmanuel and Ekpenyong Andrew.
Both men were arrested and allegedly beaten to death by personnel of the South African National Defence Force in Port Elizabeth.
Mr Andrew’s body was found days after his arrest on 19 April in the Booysens area of Pretoria.
He was picked up following an alleged altercation with Tshwane Metro Police officers. His corpse was later discovered at the Pretoria Central Mortuary.
Mr Emmanuel died a day later from injuries sustained during the SANDF attack.
Following those killings, the Nigerian government summoned the South African High Commissioner and demanded a thorough investigation. Two months later, the investigation is still pending and no arrests have been made.
The consulate condemned the continuing violence, saying the pattern “raises questions over the safety of Nigerians and other foreigners in South Africa.”
“The death is coming at a time when foreigners are being unduly targeted in South Africa, raising questions about what seems to be a deliberate attempt by some elements to generalise wrongfully and tag well-meaning, hard-working and respectable Nigerians in the country as criminals,” the statement read.
It called for “a thorough and immediate investigation. We expect the authorities to do the needful and achieve the ultimate prosecution of the perpetrators.”
Nigerian officials have repeatedly condemned the attacks but have also urged Nigerians in Nigeria to refrain from retaliatory attacks on South African businesses.
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