Nigeria Threatens South Africa Over Xenophobic Killings and Violence

The Government of Nigeria has placed South Africa on notice following the deaths of two Nigerian citizens on June 28. According to Nigeria's foreign ministry, one man was killed by unidentified criminals in eMalahleni, while another, Emeka Iroegbu, was killed by police officers during an interrogation in Pretoria. Nigeria alleged state complicity in these incidents, stating that all options remain on the table if the trend of intolerance persists.

In response, South Africa's Department of International Relations and Cooperation requested substantive proof and urged the Nigerian high commissioner to use official institutional channels. The Independent Police Investigative Directorate has launched an investigation into the police-involved killing in Pretoria.

On July 7, the Nigerian Senate condemned the violence and a June 30 ultimatum for undocumented foreigners to leave South Africa. During the session, some lawmakers proposed severing diplomatic ties and nationalizing South African companies, such as MTN and MultiChoice, to fund victim compensation. Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin persuaded the assembly to reject these extreme measures pending a further investigation. The Senate instead resolved to demand written safety assurances from South Africa, create a register of victims for restitution, and engage the African Union to establish early warning mechanisms.