A 22-year-old Nigerian student from Plateau State, Isaac Satlat, has been shot dead in South Africa, raising fresh concerns over renewed xenophobic violence against foreigners, particularly Nigerians.
Satlat was reportedly killed days after he was declared missing while driving his father’s car in Moshongo Province, outside Pretoria. He was said to be the son of a Christian missionary based in South Africa.
A Nigerian resident in South Africa, Charles Awuzie, disclosed the incident on Thursday via social media, stating that Satlat was initially believed to have been kidnapped. His body was later discovered two days after his disappearance, riddled with bullets.
Satlat, who was due to graduate next month, had plans to relocate to Canada to further his education before his life was cut short.
The killing occurred barely a week after another Nigerian national, Emeka Uzor, was reportedly shot dead during an anti-drug operation in Gauteng, a suburb of Johannesburg.
Further accounts from Nigerians living in South Africa indicated that Satlat was abducted from his vehicle and shot multiple times before his body was dumped in Attridgeville, near Pretoria. The vehicle he was driving was also vandalized.
Reports added that Satlat’s father, upon receiving news of his son’s death, reportedly suffered a medical emergency and was hospitalized in Nigeria due to dangerously high blood pressure.
The latest killing has deepened anxiety within the Nigerian community in South Africa, with many calling on authorities to address what they describe as persistent hostility and violence against foreign nationals.
Satlat’s death adds to a growing list of Nigerians who have lost their lives in South Africa under violent circumstances, intensifying calls for justice and improved protection for immigrants.
