Consul-General Amb. Ninikanwa Okey-Uche disclosed this in a statement issued on Monday, identifying the deceased as Kenechukwu Christopher Igwemmadú, Olaniyi Olaleye Olatunde and Christian Hillary Nnaemeka.
According to the Consulate, Igwemmadú died on September 18 after allegedly jumping from a building while attempting to escape police harassment and brutality at Kenlin Court on Douglas Street in the Central Business District of Bloemfontein.
The Consulate said the incident occurred as the Nigerian was allegedly trying to flee the police officers.
On September 20, Olatunde, a security guard at Spanata Bar and Grills Night Club in Mamelodi East, Pretoria, was reportedly shot during an altercation with a South African customer.
The Consulate said the dispute started after Olatunde attempted to prevent the customer from leaving the club with a cup belonging to the establishment.
It alleged that the customer pulled out a firearm and shot Olatunde in the lower body, leaving him seriously injured and bleeding heavily.
The suspect reportedly fled the scene but later returned after discovering that witnesses knew his identity. He allegedly threatened to kill anyone who reported the incident to the police.
Olatunde was taken to Mamelodi Hospital for treatment but later died from his injuries. Doctors reportedly confirmed his death on the morning of September 21.
The third victim, Nnaemeka, allegedly died on September 21 after an encounter with South African politician and investigative content creator Xolani Khumalo and members of his Sizok’thola team in Primrose, Ekurhuleni.
The Consulate said the team was conducting an operation when Nnaemeka was allegedly arrested and assaulted despite reportedly finding nothing incriminating on him.
It alleged that the team members beat and tortured him before he attempted to escape by jumping over a fence.
Nnaemeka reportedly collapsed from his injuries and exhaustion and was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
The Consulate also referred to the February 9 death of another Nigerian, Emeka Clement Uzor, who it said was shot by members of Khumalo’s reality television crew in Windsor East, Randburg.
It alleged that no arrests had been made over Uzor’s death and noted that Khumalo was currently contesting for the position of Mayor of Ekurhuleni.
The Consulate described the latest incidents as “deeply troubling,” saying the deaths occurring within four days had heightened concerns over the treatment and safety of Nigerians and other African foreigners in South Africa.
It called on South African authorities to conduct thorough investigations into the deaths and prosecute anyone found responsible.
The Consulate also warned against taking the law into one’s hands, stressing that allegations of criminal activity should be handled through established legal processes.
“Our position remains that NIGERIAN AND ALL LIVES MATTER,” the statement said, adding that suspects should be presumed innocent and given a fair hearing in court.
It urged Nigerians living in South Africa to remain calm, law-abiding and security-conscious amid what it described as ongoing xenophobic and Afrophobic attacks, threats and insecurity affecting vulnerable black African foreigners.
Nigeria’s High Commissioner to South Africa, Femi Fani-Kayode, also addressed the development, claiming that the three deaths had brought the number of Nigerians killed in South Africa in 2026 to 12.
Fani-Kayode said 112 Nigerians had been killed in South Africa since 2022, including 32 who were allegedly killed by members of the South African security forces.
He further claimed that none of those responsible had been convicted or brought to justice.
The High Commissioner condemned the killings and appealed to the South African authorities to protect Nigerians and ensure that those responsible for the deaths face justice.
The Consulate-General expressed condolences to the families of the deceased and said it remained committed to safeguarding the welfare and fair treatment of Nigerians in South Africa.
Post a Comment