Nigeria’s government announced Sunday that two of its citizens lost their lives last month in South Africa, amid a surge of violent anti-immigrant unrest targeting African workers in the country.
According to Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the two men were killed on June 28 — just two days before an unofficial deadline that protesters had set, demanding that all foreigners depart the country. Officials say one of the victims was allegedly killed by police officers, while the other was killed by unknown attackers.
South African police had not responded to a request for comment from The Associated Press at the time of reporting.
The unrest traces back to protests that erupted in April and May, when demonstrators blamed foreign nationals for the country’s high unemployment rate, rising crime, and strain on public services. The violence and attacks on African migrants prompted Nigeria, Ghana, and Malawi to bring their citizens home and call in South African diplomats for formal discussions.
Nigerian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa issued a pointed statement in response to the deaths: “These two killings come at a time when foreigners are being unduly targeted in South Africa. This raises questions about deliberate attempt by some elements to wrongfully generalise and tag well-meaning, hard-working, and respectable Nigerians as criminals.”
South Africa has a long and troubled history with anti-migrant violence. In 2008, more than 60 people were killed in attacks on foreigners that international human rights organizations described as xenophobic.
