The Nigerian community in South Africa has disclosed that no fewer than 105 Nigerians have been killed in the country within the last seven years amid recurring xenophobic attacks and violent incidents targeting migrants.
The claim was contained in a joint statement issued by leaders of the Nigerian Union South Africa and the Nigerian Citizens Association South Africa, Smart Nwobi and Frank Onyekwelu, respectively.
The groups were reacting to a report by the South African Broadcasting Corporation, attributed to the country’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation, which reportedly stated that migrants were not being killed in South Africa.
According to the statement, dismissing or downplaying concerns raised by migrant communities could discourage victims and witnesses from speaking out while also weakening efforts aimed at justice, reconciliation and peaceful coexistence.
The organisations stated that Nigerians and other foreign nationals had, over the years, suffered fatal xenophobic attacks, mob violence, shootings, alleged extra-judicial killings and unlawful use of force.
They said, “According to records gathered from community reports, civil society engagements, media publications, and documented incidents within migrant communities, there have been numerous cases involving the deaths of Nigerians in South Africa under troubling and unresolved circumstances from 2019 till date.”
The groups alleged that during the 2019 xenophobic unrest in Johannesburg, several Nigerian-owned businesses, shops and vehicles were destroyed, while about 12 Nigerians reportedly lost their lives through attacks and mob violence.
They further claimed that more than 17 Nigerians were killed in 2022 through violent assaults, alleged security brutality and vigilante attacks, while over 40 deaths were recorded in 2023 in incidents linked to mob violence, unresolved attacks and alleged police misconduct.
According to the statement, about eight Nigerians reportedly died in 2024, while another eight lost their lives in 2025 during shootings, violent confrontations and deaths allegedly linked to police custody.
The associations added that from January 2026 till date, over 20 Nigerians had allegedly died during encounters involving security personnel, criminal attacks or suspected extra-judicial actions.
While acknowledging that investigations were ongoing in some of the incidents, the groups expressed concern over what they described as the absence of prosecutions, accountability and transparent outcomes in many of the cases.
The community leaders, however, said their position was not aimed at discrediting South Africa’s democratic institutions, stressing that many South Africans continued to reject xenophobia and support peaceful coexistence.
They urged South African authorities to strengthen measures against xenophobic violence, mob justice and unlawful conduct, while also ensuring thorough investigations into reported killings and attacks involving foreign nationals.
The groups also called for increased public enlightenment, social integration and community dialogue to discourage hatred, stereotyping and violence against migrants.
“No society can thrive where fear, mob justice, or unlawful violence become normalised. Everyone remains innocent in the eye of the law until proven guilty in a competent court of justice,” the statement added.
