Nigeria has confirmed that two of its citizens were killed in South Africa in late June, as a wave of anti-migrant violence continues to force thousands of Africans to flee the country. Abuja's foreign ministry named the victims and said both died on 28 June, in what it described as a build-up to an unofficial end-of-month deadline issued by anti-illegal immigration groups demanding that foreigners leave South Africa.
One of the men, identified as Iroegbu, was reportedly killed in Pretoria — South Africa's administrative capital — by officers from the Tshwane Metro police department. The other, identified as Joe, was attacked outside his shop in eMalahleni, a city in Mpumalanga province in the northeast of the country. South African police had not commented on the deaths as of Sunday, and no suspects have been publicly identified in connection with either killing.
Nigeria's foreign ministry said it was placing the South African government "on notice", warning that "all options remain on the table" if what it called "apartheid-style behaviour" against foreigners is not addressed. Abuja also said it had begun documenting businesses and properties left behind by Nigerians who have fled, and that it would seek compensation for affected citizens. South African cabinet minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni rejected the compensation demand, saying Nigerians with registered properties were free to sell them on the open market.
The Nigerian ministry also sharply condemned a separate remark by Ntshavheni, in which she said her government would welcome information on "drug dens of Nigerians" in order to tackle drug crime. Abuja called the comment "unacceptable", describing it as "derogatory, unprofessional and uncensored generalised" hate speech from a senior official.
The broader crisis has been building for weeks. Anti-illegal immigration protesters in South Africa — a country with one of the world's highest unemployment rates — have blamed foreign nationals for straining public services, driving up crime, and taking jobs. The violence and intimidation have prompted Nigeria, Ghana, Zimbabwe, and other nations to repatriate thousands of their citizens. Human rights observers warn that the targeting of African migrants risks deepening regional tensions and undermining the principle of free movement that underpins pan-African integration efforts.