Diplomatic tensions between Nigeria and South Africa have escalated following the death of a second Nigerian national during a South African police operation this month, with Nigerian officials condemning what they call a pattern of abuse against foreign nationals. The latest incident unfolded last week in Cape Town, where 42-year-old Ibeh Chika Simon collapsed and died as officers moved to arrest him during a residential search, according to official statements.
During the search of the Cape Town property, Western Cape police reported recovering an unlicensed firearm and substances suspected to be illicit drugs. Police spokesperson Colonel Andre Traut explained that as officers attempted to take Simon into custody, he suddenly became unwell and collapsed. Emergency medical services were dispatched to the scene immediately, but Simon was pronounced dead on site.
Preliminary post-mortem examinations conducted on Simon’s body revealed he had multiple bruises and abrasions across his back and chest, according to the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid), South Africa’s independent oversight body for police conduct, which is now leading the official probe into the death.
Nigeria’s top diplomat in Johannesburg, Consul General Ninikanwa Okey-Uche, released a scathing statement this week saying her nation was deeply appalled by reports of excessive police tactics that led to Simon’s death. She called for a fully transparent, independent investigation into the incident, highlighting what she described as an alarming pattern of unresolved extrajudicial killings and serious misconduct targeting foreign nationals in South Africa. Okey-Uche emphasized that all criminal suspects are guaranteed the right to due process under the law, and no law enforcement body is exempt from this requirement.
The consul general also added that a second Nigerian national, Egwabor Patrick Chuks, was shot during the same police operation and remains hospitalized with life-threatening injuries. However, Western Cape police have stated they hold no official record of this shooting incident.
Nigeria’s foreign ministry spokesperson Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa described the episode as a deeply unfortunate situation in comments to the BBC on Monday, echoing the diplomatic community’s concern over the case.
This death comes just weeks after South African authorities confirmed the death of another Nigerian man, Emeka Charles Iroegbu, in June during a similar arrest operation. That incident is also the subject of an active Ipid investigation. The two deaths have amplified existing tensions between the two African powers, which have already been strained by repeated allegations of targeted xenophobic violence against Nigerian residents in South Africa.
South African officials have acknowledged the gravity of the incident and confirmed that official investigations are underway. During a regular public briefing on national migration policy held Sunday, the country’s Inter-Ministerial Committee on Migration confirmed it was monitoring the probe. Justice Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi, who chairs the committee, noted that during the Cape Town operation last Thursday, a group of foreign nationals had resisted law enforcement action, though she did not provide further details on the confrontation.
As investigations proceed, both diplomatic communities are awaiting full forensic and investigative reports to clarify the circumstances of Simon’s death and address growing concerns over police conduct toward foreign nationals in South Africa.