South African police have dismissed allegations by Nigeria linking the recent death of a Nigerian national in the country to ongoing anti-migrant demonstrations, describing the claims as misleading.
The remarks come two days after Nigeria’s Foreign Ministry condemned the deaths of two citizens in South Africa amid rising xenophobic violence. According to Nigerian officials, one victim, Emeka Charles Iroegbu, died while in police custody in Sunnyside, Pretoria, two days before the June 30 anti-migrant deadline protests, while the other, Nnaemeka Mathew Andrew Ekpenyong, was allegedly killed in April by the same officers, with no arrests made despite suspects being identified.
However, in a statement on Tuesday, the South African Police Service rejected reports linking Iroegbu's death to the anti-immigrant protests, saying he died on June 28 after collapsing shortly following his arrest for allegedly possessing drugs.
“The South African Police Service notes with concern misleading information being peddled on social media regarding the death in custody of a Nigerian national in the Sunnyside policing precinct. On June 28, 2026, members of SAPS Tshwane Drugs team, acting on intelligence, arrested a Nigerian national at his apartment for possession of drugs,” said South African police.
“During the arrest, the suspect was handcuffed, and while being taken into custody, he collapsed. Members immediately called for medical assistance. Paramedics attended the scene and declared him dead.”
According to South African authorities, the case was immediately referred to the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID), as required whenever a person dies in police custody. An inquest was held to determine the cause of death, alongside a separate investigation into alleged drug possession after substances found on the man were seized as evidence.
“It was decided that the case will be investigated by the police pending postmortem results. SAPS strongly rejects attempts to link this incident to anti-illegal immigrant protests. Such claims are baseless and an attempt to mislead the public,” the police said, but did not comment on the exact circumstances leading up to Ekpenyong’s death.
The development comes amid renewed anti-immigrant protests in parts of South Africa and growing diplomatic tensions over the treatment of African migrants in the country. Kenya, Ghana, Malawi and Nigeria are among several African nations that have repatriated some of their citizens from South Africa as violence and attacks targeting foreigners intensify.
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