The Nigerian community in South Africa has threatened to embark on a protest to demand justice for Emeka Uzor, a Nigerian national reportedly shot dead during an anti-drug operation in Gauteng, a suburban region of Johannesburg.
Uzor was reportedly killed at about 3 p.m. on February 8, 2026, at a Carltex garage in Windsor East, Randburg.
In a statement published on its website, ActionSA confirmed that the shooting occurred during its anti-drug raid. The statement said the operation involved ActionSA’s Ekurhuleni mayoral candidate, Cllr Xolani Khumalo, and claimed that Uzor was a suspect involved in drug trafficking.
ActionSA added that its 10-Point Action Plan empowers it to deploy all available resources to combat crime in the area, including establishing specialized units to dismantle drug syndicates and gangs, using crime-mapping technology for rapid response, and reskilling Community Policing Forums.
However, the President of the Nigerian Union in South Africa (NUSA), Smart Nwobi, disputed claims that Uzor was a drug dealer. He accused those involved in the operation of acting unlawfully and said Uzor should have been arrested instead of killed.
Nwobi said, “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? Anytime a Nigerian is killed carelessly, the narrative pushed is that they are criminals, so people do not ask questions. We are not going to take it easy this time.”
Nwobi further alleged that the same individual involved in Uzor’s killing had previously been linked to the disappearance of another Nigerian national.
According to NUSA, 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 more than 12 bullets hit him, and stray bullets also damaged nearby vehicles, endangering other civilians.
The 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 that all those involved be held accountable.
Nwobi urged Nigerians in South Africa to remain calm and law-abiding, assuring them that the union was working with relevant authorities to ensure justice.
The spokesperson for the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abdulrahman Balogun, said the commission had yet to receive official correspondence regarding the incident but would take action once formally informed.
This incident adds to ongoing concerns about the treatment of Nigerian nationals in South Africa, with community leaders accusing local authorities and security operatives of profiling Nigerians as criminals, particularly drug traffickers and fraudsters.
