Nigeria Issues Warning to South Africa Over Xenophobia

The Nigerian government has escalated its diplomatic response to xenophobic attacks against its citizens in South Africa, issuing a stern warning following the deaths of two Nigerians, Emeka Iroegbu and Nnaemeka Ekpenyong. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the "disturbing pattern" of extrajudicial killings and hate speech, emphasizing the urgent need for South African authorities to bring perpetrators to justice.

The warning comes after Iroegbu's alleged torture death by Tshwane metro police and the earlier killing of Ekpenyong, with no arrests made in either case. The Nigerian government criticized inflammatory remarks from South African officials and urged the public to refrain from making sweeping statements that could incite hatred.

It also called for an immediate investigation into the recent killings and insisted that any criminal allegations against Nigerians be handled through due process rather than mob justice. The Nigerian government continues to engage diplomatically with Pretoria, urging vigilance among its citizens in South Africa and emphasizing dialogue as the preferred option for resolving the crisis.