A Nigerian man has been killed in South Africa as xenophobic attacks continue, bringing the number of Nigerians who have lost their lives since the latest wave of anti-foreigner violence began this year to five.
The Nigerian Consulate disclosed in a statement on Saturday, July 25, that the victim, identified as Ibeh Simon, died during a South African Police Service (SAPS) operation in Bellville, Cape Town, on Thursday, July 23.
The consulate also said another Nigerian man, Egwabor Patrick, sustained gunshot injuries during the operation and is currently receiving medical treatment.
Reacting to the incident, the consulate condemned what it described as the egregious police tactics that resulted in Simon’s death and Patrick’s injuries.
“We are deeply appalled by reports of the egregious police tactics that led to his death, as well as the shooting of Chuks… who remains under treatment with severe injuries,” the statement said.
The consulate added that the latest incident highlights what it described as an alarming pattern of unresolved extrajudicial killings and unacceptable misconduct against foreign nationals.
According to the mission, the incident comes amid rising anti-African sentiment in South Africa and reflects a disregard for the rights to life, dignity and due process guaranteed under South African law.
Simon is the fifth Nigerian reported killed in South Africa since the latest wave of xenophobic violence began this year.
The previous victims include Amaramiro Emmanuel, Ekpenyong Andrew, Emeka Iroegbu and Musa Joe.
Emmanuel and Andrew were killed in April by personnel of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF). Andrew’s body was discovered at the Pretoria Central Mortuary days after his arrest following an altercation with officers of the Tshwane Metro Police, while Emmanuel died from injuries sustained during an assault by SANDF personnel.
In June, Musa Joe was killed by suspected criminals in Witbank, Mpumalanga Province, while Emeka Iroegbu died after being tortured by officers of the Tshwane Metro Police in Sunnyside, Pretoria.
The Nigerian government had earlier summoned South Africa’s High Commissioner over the deaths of Emmanuel and Andrew and demanded a thorough investigation.
However, investigations into the earlier cases remain ongoing, with no arrests announced months after the incidents.
The renewed violence follows an anti-foreigner campaign that gained momentum in April, with videos circulating online showing attacks on African migrants. Tensions further escalated after calls by some groups for African foreign nationals to leave South Africa by Tuesday, June 30.
The Nigerian Consulate reiterated its call for an immediate, transparent investigation into Simon’s death and urged South African authorities to ensure that those responsible are brought to justice.
“Amid rising Afrophobic sentiment, such actions reveal a troubling disregard for the fundamental rights to life, dignity and due process guaranteed by South African law to all human beings,” the consulate said.
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