Nigeria has reported the deaths of two of its citizens in South Africa, where attacks and intimidation against foreigners have been escalating. According to a statement from the Nigerian foreign ministry, Emeka Charles Iroegbu was killed on June 28 by police officers who used ‘gruesome interrogation techniques.’ Another Nigerian citizen, Musa Yunana Joe, a shop owner, was killed by unidentified individuals on the same day. The Nigerian government has condemned the attacks, stating that they come ‘at a time when foreigners are being unduly targeted.’ The ministry also warned that ‘all options remain on the table’ if the South African government fails to address the ‘uncultured and provocative trend of intolerance and apartheid-style behavior’ against foreigners.
The South African authorities have launched an investigation into Iroegbu’s death, and the Nigerian government has flown out 269 of its citizens from South Africa. Other African countries, including Ghana, Malawi, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe, have also repatriated their citizens from South Africa in recent days. The latest wave of xenophobic violence in South Africa has been marked by protests calling for the expulsion of undocumented migrants, with some politicians accused of exploiting economic grievances ahead of upcoming municipal elections.
Experts argue that the protests are misdirected, as foreigners make up only around four percent of the South African population. Professor Jo Vearey of the African Centre for Migration & Society noted that even if all foreign nationals were removed from South Africa, it would not address the country’s high unemployment rate of 38 percent. The violence has been characterized by disturbing bouts of violence targeting foreigners, with protesters claiming that foreigners are taking jobs and unfairly benefiting from public services.
In some areas, protesters have thrown bricks at homes and forcefully evicted residents suspected of being foreign nationals.
