The Federal Government has condemned the killing of two Nigerians in South Africa, demanding thorough, transparent and swift investigations into the circumstances surrounding their deaths.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs made the demand in a statement issued by its spokesperson, Oluwafemi Adeniyi, in Abuja at the weekend.
The ministry was reacting to the recent deaths of two Nigerian nationals, Bishop Taiwo Fakunle and James Uchechukwu Nwankwo.
According to the ministry, Fakunle was killed at his residence in Kensington, Johannesburg, on September 4, while Nwankwo was killed the following day in Somerset, Cape Town.
The government expressed concern that the killings occurred amid persistent xenophobic and Afrophobic attacks targeting foreigners, particularly Africans, in South Africa.
It said the incidents raised questions about the safety of foreigners in the country and the commitment of South African authorities to preventing attacks against them.
“It is extremely worrisome that law enforcement agents, saddled with the responsibility of securing lives and property, are exacerbating an already fragile situation by resorting to unacceptable interrogation techniques that have frequently led to the deaths of foreigners,” the ministry said.
Nigeria urged the relevant South African authorities to immediately launch comprehensive and transparent investigations to identify those responsible and ensure they are brought to justice.
The government also said it expected the matter to receive the urgency and attention it deserved, adding that Nigeria remained committed to resolving differences with South Africa through constructive dialogue.
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The ministry expressed concern that the proposed Early Warning Mechanism, designed to enable both countries to respond to emerging threats, had yet to be fully implemented.
It said Nigeria had signed the Memorandum of Understanding establishing the mechanism, while South Africa was yet to sign it.
The ministry further recalled that Nigeria had formally raised recurring xenophobic and Afrophobic attacks in South Africa before the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government and the African Union Assembly of Heads of State and Government.
It added that the Nigerian government was considering further measures to secure South Africa’s cooperation in addressing the issue.
The Federal Government extended its condolences to the families of Fakunle and Nwankwo, as well as their friends and the wider Nigerian community in South Africa.
