Federal Government has demanded thorough investigations into the deaths of two Nigerians in South Africa amid renewed concerns over xenophobic and Afrophobic attacks against foreigners in the country.
Gatekeepers News reports that the victims were identified as Taiwo Fakunle and James Nwankwo, who died in separate incidents on September 4 and 5, respectively, according to Oluwafemi Adeniyi, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Fakunle was reportedly killed at his residence in Kensington, Johannesburg, while Nwankwo allegedly died in Somerset, Cape Town, following what the ministry described as “gruesome interrogation techniques” by officers of the South African Police Service.
The latest deaths come about two months after two other Nigerians were killed amid renewed anti-migrant tensions in South Africa.
The ministry said the recurring incidents, including attacks and destruction of property targeting Nigerians and other African nationals, raise concerns about the safety of foreigners in the country.
It also expressed concern over the alleged involvement of law enforcement officers in some of the incidents and their use of what it described as “unacceptable interrogation techniques”, which it said have frequently resulted in the deaths of foreigners.
The ministry further criticised South Africa’s refusal to sign a memorandum of understanding aimed at establishing an early-warning mechanism agreed upon during bilateral discussions between both countries.
It called on South African authorities to conduct thorough and transparent investigations into the deaths, identify those responsible and ensure that they are brought to justice.
The Federal Government also said it was considering “other concrete measures” to secure South Africa’s cooperation, including taking the recurring xenophobic and Afrophobic attacks against Nigerians and other Africans to the Economic Community of West African States and African Union leadership structures.
The development comes a day after the National Assembly suspended all legislative engagements with South Africa over continued attacks against Nigerians.
Nigerian officials have previously raised concerns over the growing number of citizens killed in South Africa. In July, the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Sola Enikanolaiye, said at least 98 Nigerians had been killed in mob attacks, hate-related violence and extrajudicial killings in South Africa since 2022.
