The reported killing of a 40-year-old Nigerian father of two in Pretoria has renewed concerns over the safety of Nigerians living and working in South Africa, coming barely weeks after a series of deaths that Nigerian authorities and community groups have linked to xenophobic, criminal or security-related violence.
The latest victim, Olatunde Olaleye, an indigene of Ikere-Ekiti, Ekiti State, was reportedly shot dead on September 21 while working at Spanata Bar and Grills in Mamelodi, Pretoria.
The Nigerian Union South Africa (NUSA), through its president-general, Smart Nwobi, said Olaleye was allegedly shot by a South African national following an argument over whether a drinking glass could be taken outside the bar.
Nwobi said reports indicated that the suspect subsequently returned to the premises and allegedly threatened the management, saying members of his group would return.
NUSA has called for a thorough and impartial investigation, while urging the Nigerian diplomatic mission in South Africa to intensify engagement with the country’s authorities.
“We cannot continue to lose Nigerians under circumstances that leave families devastated and communities traumatised,” Nwobi said.
How many Nigerians have been killed?
The precise number of Nigerians killed in South Africa varies according to the period and methodology used by different sources.
In May 2026, NUSA and the Nigerian Citizens Association South Africa (NICASA) said at least 105 Nigerians had been killed in South Africa over the preceding seven years, with community records covering incidents from 2019 through the first five months of 2026.
The organisations said the deaths included cases involving mob attacks, shootings, vigilante violence, alleged police brutality and suspected extrajudicial killings.
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Their breakdown attributed about 12 deaths to the 2019 xenophobic unrest, more than 17 to violent incidents in 2022, more than 40 in 2023, eight in 2024, eight in 2025 and more than 20 between January and May 2026. The figures are community-compiled estimates and encompass more than incidents formally established as xenophobic attacks.
In July, Nigeria’s Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar said 98 Nigerians had died since 2022 in mob actions and hate-related incidents described by the government as Afrophobic attacks.
The figures therefore should not be treated as a single official casualty count for xenophobic attacks alone.
2026 deaths add to growing diplomatic pressure
The latest killing follows the deaths of Bishop Taiwo Michael Fakunle and James Uchechukwu Nwankwo in September.
Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Fakunle was killed at his residence in Kensington, Johannesburg, on September 4, while Nwankwo died in Somerset, Cape Town, on September 5 following what the ministry described as “gruesome interrogation techniques” by South African police officers.
Earlier in April, Amaramiro Emmanuel and Ekpenyong Andrew also died in separate incidents during a period of renewed anti-migrant tension. Al Jazeera reported that Emmanuel died after allegedly being beaten by South African National Defence Force personnel, while Andrew was arrested in Pretoria before his body was later found at a mortuary.
With the September deaths, reports from Nigerian officials and community organisations have increasingly focused on the safety of Nigerians amid renewed anti-migrant protests and attacks.
A long-running problem
The crisis has deep historical roots. South Africa experienced major xenophobic violence in 2008, when at least 62 people were killed, including migrants from several African countries. Further violence occurred in 2015 and 2019, with Nigerian businesses among those targeted.
NAN reported in February that available data from NUSA and NICASA indicated that more than 127 Nigerians were killed in South Africa between 2000 and 2020. The report also noted, however, that not all deaths involving Nigerians were necessarily xenophobic, with criminal disputes, gang violence and other causes also accounting for some fatalities.
This distinction remains important because individual killings must be investigated on their specific facts rather than automatically attributed to xenophobia.
Calls for protection and accountability
The recurring deaths have nevertheless intensified calls for stronger protection of Nigerian nationals and greater accountability from South African authorities.
Nigerian officials have demanded investigations into recent deaths, while community organisations have urged South African authorities to prosecute perpetrators and address attacks against migrants.
The debate has also strained Nigeria-South Africa relations. In September, Nigeria’s National Assembly suspended official visits to South Africa and directed lawmakers and staff to boycott activities hosted by South African authorities over reported xenophobic attacks.
For Olaleye’s family, however, the wider diplomatic dispute has a deeply personal dimension. His death has left behind a wife and two children, while NUSA is demanding that the circumstances surrounding his shooting be fully investigated and that whoever is responsible face the law.