Nigeria diasporas in South Africa have continued to face violent attacks, many of which result in fatalities without any tangible justice being served. These scenarios have not only raised alarm among Nigerians living in South Africa, but also draws attention of both the Nigerian government and international Human Rights organizations. Persisting lack of responsibility in these cases, has fostered a climate of dread, animosity, and diplomatic friction between the two countries. Many of these incidents are attributed to xenophobia—a deep-seated hostility towards foreign nationals, particularly those from other African countries.
Several tragic incidents underscore the gravity of this crisis. In 2017, a Nigerian man named Ibrahim Badmus was killed in his home in Vaal, allegedly by South African police officers. Jelili Omoyele, a 35-year-old Nigerian cellular phone technician, was also shot dead in Johannesburg over a disputed R300 (approximately ₦11,400), parking lot debt. In another tragic incident in 2019, a Nigerian entrepreneur, Obinna Igbokwe, was shot and killed in Rustenburg, with the attack linked to rising xenophobic tensions at the time.
127 Nigerians subjected to murder in South Africa.
Additionally, it was believed that amid a wave of xenophobic attacks in 2019, mobs targeted Nigerian-owned stores and businesses, which heightened tension between the two nations. Nevertheless, a lot of comparable events go unreported, depriving the victims of a voice. According to a 2019 report published by NIDCOM, 127 Nigerians have been subjected to murder in South Africa. Numerous reasons, such as criminal activity, police brutality, and xenophobic violence, contributed to these killings. Only a small percentage of these cases have resulted in arrests, let alone convictions, despite this startling figure.
For most victims, justice remains elusive, leaving their families in a state of unresolved grief. One major worry is that justice has not been served for these tragedies. Investigations into the killings are frequently either slow or abandoned entirely. For years, many cases go unsolved with no arrests or convictions. The legal system is sometimes beset by corruption, delays, or plain disregard, even in cases when suspects have been identified. Victims’ families frequently express dissatisfaction with South African authorities’ lack of communication and disregard for Nigerian lives.
Cases of xenophobic attacks remain unresolved.
A notable example is the case of Ibrahim Badmus, who was killed in 2017 in his home during a police raid in Vaal. Despite public outcry and evidence pointing to police brutality, no officers were held accountable. Similarly, the 2019 murder of Obinna Igbokwe during a xenophobic attack in Rustenburg remains unresolved, with little to no progress reported on the investigation. Also, the case of Elizabeth Ndubusi-Chukwu, an indigene of Anambra State, was reported as deceased in one of the rooms at the Emperors Palace Hotel and Convention Centre, South Africa, on June 13, 2019, where she lodged and initially was suspected to have died of cardiac arrest.
However, the insinuation was proved wrong following the release of an autopsy report by South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs on June 20, 2019, which said in a Death Certificate that the death was unnatural and suspected to be murder by strangling. The report was supported by Nigerian citizens in the nation, who further claim that worse things occur in the country’s hinterlands, where Nigerians are dispersed. These high-profile cases are just the tip of the iceberg; countless others are either unreported, ignored or dismissed as minor incidents.
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This lack of accountability erodes trust between South African law enforcement and the Nigerian community, and also undermines the rule of law. Likewise, this persistent failure to hold perpetrators accountable has reinforced a sense of helplessness among the Nigerian community. Beyond the emotional toll of losing a loved one, they face financial hardship from funeral costs and legal fees, often without support from either government. Many families express frustration at the lack of accountability, which denies them the closure they desperately seek.