The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) has strongly condemned the brutal killing of two Nigerian traders in Durban, South Africa, described the incident as “barbaric, senseless, and intolerable.”
Chairman/CEO of NiDCOM, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, made the statement on Tuesday, July 23, 2025, following reports that two Nigerians, identified as Austin and Ayo, were gunned down by masked assailants in Austin’s office. The attackers reportedly shot the duo at close range, killing them on the spot.
In a statement signed by the Commission’s Director of Media, Public Relations and Protocols, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, Dabiri-Erewa called on South African authorities to carry out a thorough investigation to bring the perpetrators to justice.
“This latest unprovoked killing is condemnable and barbaric. The culprits must be fished out and made to face the full weight of the law,” Dabiri-Erewa said.
She further expressed dismay over the failure to implement the Early Warning Mechanism agreed upon by Nigeria and South Africa as a preventive measure against xenophobic attacks and killings.
While consoling the families of the deceased, the NiDCOM boss assured them of the Commission’s support and commitment to ensuring justice is served.
Following heightened tension within the Nigerian community in South Africa over the killings, Dabiri-Erewa urged Nigerians to remain calm and refrain from taking the law into their own hands.
She added that the Acting Nigerian High Commissioner in South Africa has formally demanded a thorough and transparent investigation into the incident from the South African authorities.
