…Uzor was reportedly shot dead during an anti-drug operation in South Africa.
Johannesburg, South Africa – The iNews Times reports that the Nigerian community in South Africa has threatened to embark on mass protests following the killing of a Nigerian national, Emeka Uzor, who was reportedly shot dead during an anti-drug operation in Gauteng, a suburban region of Johannesburg.
Uzor was allegedly killed at about 3:00 p.m. on February 8, 2026, at a Carltex garage in Windsor East, Randburg, a suburb of Johannesburg.
In a statement published on its website and sighted by iNews Times on Monday, ActionSA confirmed that the shooting occurred during an anti-drug raid carried out in the area.
The statement said the operation was joined by ActionSA’s Ekurhuleni Mayoral Candidate, Councillor Xolani Khumalo, and claimed that the deceased was involved in drug trafficking.
“ActionSA can confirm that during an anti-drug operation yesterday, joined by ActionSA’s Ekurhuleni Mayoral Candidate, Cllr Xolani Khumalo, a shooting incident occurred in which a Nigerian suspect, identified as being involved in drug trafficking, was shot,” the statement read.
ActionSA further defended its actions, insisting that its campaign against drug syndicates would continue.
“For too long, drug syndicates have terrorised our communities through violence, intimidation and total disregard for the law. ActionSA will continue to support every decisive and lawful measure to dismantle this scourge,” the group added.
The party said its 10-Point Action Plan for Ekurhuleni empowered it to deploy all available resources to combat crime, including specialised units, crime-mapping technology, and strengthened community policing structures.
However, the Nigerian Union in South Africa (NUSA) strongly disputed ActionSA’s claims, insisting that Uzor was not a drug dealer and accusing those involved in the operation of acting unlawfully.
Speaking to this reporter on Monday, NUSA President, Smart Nwobi, said the deceased should have been arrested if there was credible evidence against him, rather than being killed.
“What we are saying now is that the victim is not a drug dealer. My question is this: do you shoot a drug dealer from a distance, or do you arrest a drug dealer?” Nwobi asked.
He alleged that Nigerians were often hastily labelled criminals after being killed, a narrative he said was used to discourage scrutiny.
“Anytime a Nigerian is killed carelessly, the narrative pushed is that maybe he is a fraudster or a drug dealer so that people will not ask questions. We are not going to take it easy this time,” he said.
Nwobi further claimed that the individual involved in Uzor’s killing had previously been linked to the disappearance of another Nigerian national.
“It is the same person who shot Uzor who made one of our brothers disappear till today. He is not a police officer. He is a security outfit personnel who electrocuted one of our brothers and took his body. Up till now, we have not found him,” he alleged.
In an official statement later issued on Monday, the union said Uzor, who hailed from Nkerefi in Nkanu East Local Government Area of Enugu State, was shot multiple times while seated inside his parked vehicle.
The union alleged that the deceased was hit by more than 12 bullets, adding that stray bullets damaged nearby vehicles and endangered civilians at the scene.
NUSA also expressed concern that the incident occurred in the presence of a media production crew, which included Xolani Khumalo, a former host of Sizok’thola on Moja Love.
“The union categorically condemns the subsequent media statement credited to Mr Khumalo, which appeared to justify this heinous act. Such statements are careless, irresponsible, deeply inhumane, and demonstrate a profound disregard for the sanctity of human life,” the statement said.
The union said the killing bore similarities to the unresolved case of Silas Ani, another Nigerian allegedly killed under comparable circumstances.
“These incidents point to a deeply troubling pattern of brutal violence against Nigerian nationals in South Africa,” NUSA said.
The Nigerian Union called on the South African government, particularly the Minister of Police and the National Commissioner of the South African Police Service, to conduct a thorough, transparent, and impartial investigation into Uzor’s killing.
It also demanded accountability from all individuals involved and warned that extrajudicial killings have no place in a constitutional democracy.
While urging Nigerians in South Africa to remain calm and law-abiding, Nwobi said the union had written to the newly arrived Nigerian Consul General, warning that protests would follow if no concrete action was taken.
The union extended condolences to Uzor’s family and prayed for strength to bear the loss.
When contacted, the spokesperson for the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Abdulrahman Balogun, said the commission had yet to receive an official report on the incident.
“I only read it online. No one has officially contacted us. We will take action once we are officially informed,” he said.
Several past incidents involving Nigerians have strained diplomatic relations between Nigeria and South Africa, with community leaders repeatedly accusing South African authorities and security operatives of profiling Nigerians as criminals.
The iNews Times reported in July 2025 that two Nigerians, identified simply as Austin and Ayo, were shot dead by unidentified gunmen in Durban, South Africa.
