SAPS Hits Back After Nigeria Accuses SA Police of Killing Its Citizen Before Anti-Migrant Protests
- A Nigerian man arrested for drug possession in Pretoria died in late June, with police saying he collapsed during the arrest
- Nigeria's foreign ministry alleged the man was killed during a police interrogation and threatened action if attacks on Nigerians continue
- South African police rejected any link to anti-migrant sentiment and called on Nigeria to submit evidence supporting its claims
Source: Getty Images
PRETORIA — The South African Police Service has pushed back after Nigeria accused South African police of killing one of its citizens during an interrogation, escalating diplomatic tensions between the two countries as anti-migrant unrest continues to simmer across South Africa.
According to Sunday World, the man, a Nigerian national, died in late June following his arrest at a Pretoria apartment during an intelligence-led operation targeting drug possession. According to the South African Police Service, he collapsed while being taken into custody and was subsequently declared dead by paramedics on the scene. An independent police watchdog has since opened an investigation into the circumstances of his death.
Abuja has taken a sharply different view of events. Nigeria's foreign ministry alleged that the man died during a police interrogation, a claim that directly contradicts the South African police account. The ministry's statement also noted that the death occurred two days before nationwide anti-migrant demonstrations swept through South Africa. Nigerian authorities warned of unspecified retaliatory measures should attacks on Nigerian citizens in South Africa continue.
Pretoria pushes back, requests evidence
South African police firmly denied any connection between the man's death and anti-migrant sentiment or the protests that followed. The South African foreign ministry did not address Nigeria's specific allegations directly but formally requested that Abuja provide any evidence it holds relating to the incident, signalling that Pretoria intends to handle the matter through diplomatic and investigative channels.
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Source: Getty Images
The death has emerged against the backdrop of a sustained wave of anti-immigration protests in South Africa. While many of the demonstrations remained peaceful, some descended into violence involving looting and physical attacks on foreign nationals.
Rights organisations have criticised the protests, arguing that migrants and foreign nationals are being unfairly blamed for entrenched domestic problems, including unemployment and crime, rather than systemic policy failures. The independent police watchdog's investigation into the Nigerian man's death is ongoing.
Nigerian man arrested
Briefly News also reported on the recent arrest of a Nigerian man in Parklands, Cape Town, who faced backlash after mocking Zulu culture from inside a luxury Maybach. The incident has sparked widespread discussion on social media, reflecting deep-seated sentiments about cultural respect and the actions of local authorities.
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Source: Briefly News
