Nigeria has issued a safety alert to its citizens in South Africa after eight women were found dead in and around Ekurhuleni, east of Johannesburg, over the past two months.
The Nigerian Consulate‑General in Johannesburg, led by Consul‑General Ninikanwa Okey‑Uche, said it was concerned about the series of killings and urged Nigerians—especially women and girls who live, work, study or travel through Kempton Park, Rhodesfield and surrounding areas—to exercise heightened vigilance.
Okey‑Uche cautioned that the South African Police Service (SAPS) had not yet confirmed a single perpetrator or a serial killer. “The Consulate considers the circumstances sufficiently serious to warrant heightened vigilance and prudent personal‑safety measures,” she said, noting that SAPS had deployed a multidisciplinary investigation team to look into the deaths.
According to SAPS quarterly crime statistics cited by the consul‑general, Gauteng recorded 1,223 murders, 2,369 sexual offences and 39,094 contact crimes between January and March 2026. She added that these figures provide a broader context for violent crime in the province but do not prove a link between the eight cases.
Okey‑Uche warned women in the affected areas to avoid walking, jogging or exercising alone in poorly lit, deserted or unfamiliar places, including open fields and secluded pathways. She advised anyone facing an immediate threat to move to a safe, populated location before calling emergency services and to report any relevant information to South African authorities.
She also urged Nigerians directly affected by serious incidents to notify the Consulate‑General, assuring the community that the consulate would continue monitoring developments and liaising with Nigeria’s High Commission in Pretoria and relevant South African authorities.
Consul‑General Okey‑Uche extended condolences to the families of the eight women and expressed solidarity with communities affected by the deaths.
<small>Source: The Sun Nigeria — read the original story there.</small>
