Nigeria and South Africa are inching closer to a diplomatic showdown over the unabated killing of Nigerians in the former apartheid enclave.

Nigeria has warned Pretoria that it may take further action if the recurring xenophobic attacks continue.

The warning came as Nigeria strongly condemned last week’s murder of two citizens in South Africa.

It accused a South African government spokesperson of making inflammatory remarks amounting to hate speech.

It also confirmed that another batch of 271 stranded Nigerians would be evacuated tomorrow.

It will bring to 1,130 the number of Nigerians evacuated so far as a result of xenophobic attacks, looting of shops, chasing out of schools, attacks on houses, among other humiliations meted out to Nigerians and other Africans in many South African cities.

Exactly 859 Nigerians have already been brought home in previous evacuation flights on June 11, 24, 30 and July 3.

A group of anti-migrant protesters issued a June 30 ultimatum to black foreigners to leave the shores of that country.

There was no strong condemnation or caution from the South African government, giving the impression of its complicity.

The latest developments follow earlier warnings by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, that retaliatory measures against South Africa remained under consideration if diplomatic efforts failed to halt attacks on Nigerians.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in a statement by its spokesman, Kimiebi Ebienfa, described the recent killings as unacceptable.

It called on South African authorities to urgently investigate the incidents and prosecute those responsible.

The latest victims were identified as Emeka Charles Iroegbu, who was allegedly killed by officers of the Tshwane Metro Police on June 28 in Sunnyside, Pretoria, and Musa Yunana Joe, popularly known as Big Joe, who was shot dead in front of his shop the same day in Witbank, Mpumalanga.

The government also recalled the April 20 killing of another Nigerian, Nnaemeka Mathew Andrew Ekpenyong, allegedly by the same Tshwane Metro Police officers

It noted that no arrests had been made despite the identities of the officers being known to the South African Police Service.

According to the statement, the repeated attacks raise serious concerns about the safety of Nigerians and other foreign nationals in South Africa.

The government alleged that the pattern of incidents suggested possible complicity by some security operatives, particularly members of the Tshwane Metro Police, raising questions about state responsibility under international law.

Nigeria also accused the spokesperson of the South African government of making remarks capable of inciting hostility against Nigerians after reportedly asking citizens leaving South Africa because of the xenophobic protests to disclose where they hid illegal drugs.

Ebienfa described the comments as “derogatory, unprofessional and uncensored”, saying they amounted to hate speech capable of encouraging criminal attacks against members of the Nigerian community.

He also condemned the activities of anti-immigrant groups, including March on March and Operation Dudula, accusing their leaders of inciting violence and hatred against fellow Africans.

The Federal Government urged South African authorities to investigate not only the recent killings but also several unresolved cases involving the extra-judicial killing of Nigerians and ensure that those responsible are brought to justice.