Nigeria has issued a warning yet to South Africa, saying all options remain on the table after two more Nigerian nationals were killed in separate incidents, with Abuja accusing South African security personnel of complicity in at least one of the deaths.
In a statement released on Sunday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs identified the victims as Emeka Charles Iroegbu and Musa Yunana Joe, known as Big Joe, both killed on the same day in different locations.
Iroegbu died after allegedly being subjected to brutal interrogation by officers of the Tshwane Metro Police in Sunnyside, Pretoria, on 28 June.
The ministry's spokesman Kimiebi Ebienfa said the same officers had previously been linked to the alleged extra-judicial killing of another Nigerian, Nnaemeka Mathew Andrew Ekpenyong, whose case remains unresolved.
"No arrests have been made, even though the four officers involved are known to the South African Police Service," Ebienfa said.
Joe was shot dead outside his shop in Witbank, Mpumalanga, by unidentified attackers.
The Federal Government said the pattern of violence pointed to state complicity. "The continuing pattern of such terrible incidents is clearly evidence of complicity on the part of security operatives, especially officers of the Tshwane Metro Police, which raises the question of state responsibility under International Law," Ebienfa said.
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He stressed that the data collected by Nigerian missions laid the grounds for criminal liability.
Nigeria also pushed back against the broader targeting of its nationals. "It is a fact that South Africa currently has one of the highest rates of crime globally, including the culture of looting and mob action.
"Nigerians are more civil in our engagements with foreign nationals, and we always uphold the rule of law when dealing with illegalities. It is therefore unfair to target foreigners and make them scapegoats of endemic socio-economic conditions that need to be addressed by the authorities," Ebienfa said.
The ministry urged South African authorities to investigate the latest killings and prosecute those responsible without delay, while placing Pretoria on formal notice.
"We wish to place the Government of South Africa on notice that if the situation continues to persist, all options remain on the table, some of which will be activated if the uncultured and provocative trend of intolerance and apartheid-style behaviour of South Africa against foreigners is not addressed," the statement said.
The latest deaths follow earlier reports from the Nigerian Consulate in Johannesburg of at least two fatalities during a wave of xenophobic violence, though some evacuated Nigerians have claimed the actual toll is higher.
Meanwhile, the Federal Government said it would continue engaging South African authorities at the highest level until justice is served.
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