NIGERIAN CONSULATE CONDEMNS KILLING OF THREE NATIONALS IN SOUTH AFRICA, DEMANDS IMMEDIATE INVESTIGATION

The Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in Johannesburg has strongly condemned the deaths of three Nigerian nationals killed in separate incidents across South Africa in less than one week, between September 18 and 21, 2026.

In an official diplomatic statement signed by the Consul-General, Ambassador Ninikanwa Okey-Uche, the Nigerian mission expressed deep concern over the recurring violence targeting Nigerian citizens and called on South African law enforcement agencies to conduct thorough investigations to bring the perpetrators to justice.

The mission detailed the incidents surrounding the tragic deaths of the three victims:

• Kenechukwu Christopher Igwemmadu: Died on September 18 in Bloemfontein after falling from a building at Kenlin Court on Douglas Street while attempting to escape alleged police harassment and physical brutality.

• Olatunde: A Nigerian security guard who was shot on September 20 at Spanata Bar and Grills Night Club in Mamelodi East, Pretoria, following an argument over a drinking glass. He was rushed to Mamelodi Hospital, where he succumbed to his gunshot injuries on September 21. The armed assailant reportedly returned to the venue to threaten eyewitnesses before fleeing the scene.

• Nnaemeka: Passed away on September 21 in Primrose, Ekurhuleni, following an alleged encounter with media personality Xolani Khumalo and members of his Sizok’thola investigative crew. The victim collapsed from severe injuries and exhaustion before being pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital.

The Consulate highlighted that the deaths, coming in rapid succession across different provinces, raise critical questions regarding a troubling pattern of targeted violence against foreign nationals.

Ambassador Okey-Uche reiterated that all human lives matter and emphasized that any allegations against foreign nationals must follow due process under the law rather than extrajudicial actions. The mission urged members of the Nigerian community in South Africa to remain calm, law-abiding, and security-conscious while official diplomatic channels engage South African authorities to ensure justice is served.

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