The Nigerian government announced on Sunday that two of its citizens were killed in South Africa last month, marking a tragic escalation in the recent wave of anti-immigrant violence targeting African workers. According to the Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the two individuals were killed on June 28, just two days before an unofficial ultimatum issued by protesters demanding that all foreigners leave the country.
Official reports from the ministry indicate that one of the victims was allegedly killed by police officers, while the second individual was killed by unidentified attackers. South African police did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the associated press regarding these incidents.
The violence, which intensified throughout April and May, has been fueled by protesters who blame foreign nationals for high unemployment rates, rising crime, and the strain on public services. The persistent attacks against Africans have led countries including Nigeria, Ghana, and Malawi to begin repatriating their citizens, while also summoning South African diplomats to voice their concerns.
Speaking on the situation, Nigerian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa criticized the targeting of foreign workers. He stated that these killings occur at a time when foreigners are being unfairly singled out in South Africa, raising serious questions about a deliberate effort by certain elements to generalize and label hardworking, respectable Nigerians as criminals.
South Africa has a documented history of violence rooted in anti-migrant sentiment. Notably, in 2008, more than 60 people were killed in what international rights organizations classified as xenophobic attacks against foreign nationals.
