Outrage grows as Nigerian union in SA pushes for answers in Sizok’Thola fatality

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Cape Town – A Sunday afternoon anti-drug operation in Windsor East, Randburg, Johannesburg, ended in tragedy when 45-year-old Nigerian national Emeka Clement Uzor was fatally shot while seated in his vehicle, sparking anger, community calls for justice and a police murder investigation.

According to the Nigerian Union South Africa (NUSA), Uzor was “mercilessly executed with over 12 bullets” while sitting in his parked car at about 3 pm on February 8, 2026,” a killing the group described as “brutal” and “assassination-style”.

Gauteng police have since confirmed that a murder case has been opened and investigators are examining the circumstances leading up to the shooting, and the roles of those on the scene.

“A murder case has been opened and investigations are ongoing,” police spokesperson Captain Tintswalo Sibeko said, noting that public order police were deployed to calm crowds that gathered after the incident.

The shooting happened during the filming of an anti-drug operation linked to Sizok’Thola, a controversial television programme known for confrontational interventions against suspected drug dealers, and in the presence of ActionSA’s Ekurhuleni mayoral candidate, Xolani Khumalo, who is associated with the show.

ActionSA has defended the anti-drug campaign, telling media that its aim is to confront violent criminal networks plaguing local communities.

City officials have been quick to clarify their roles. Dr Mgcini Tshwaku, Johannesburg’s MMC for Public Safety, denied that the Johannesburg Metro Police Department was involved in the operation, saying they only responded as backup after unrest broke out.

“The JMPD had no knowledge of the said operation and was not part of it,” he said, urging the law to take its course.

The tragedy has reverberated far beyond Johannesburg’s streets. NUSA called on both South African and Nigerian authorities to ensure a thorough, impartial probe and for those responsible to be held accountable.

“Such statements … are deeply inhumane and show profound disrespect for the sanctity of human life,” NUSA president Smart Nwobi said in a statement, condemning media narratives that attempted to justify the killing.

The Nigerian Consulate General in Johannesburg also weighed in, expressing shock and urging that due process be upheld.

“No one should take laws into their own hands. We condemn all forms of extrajudicial killings. All lives matter. This includes Nigerians,” the Consulate said, while extending condolences and urging calm within the Nigerian community.

Another community group, the Nigerian Citizens Association South Africa (NICASA), described the killing as a “grave violation of human rights” and called for urgent legal and diplomatic avenues to be pursued to achieve justice. “We demand a full, transparent, and impartial investigation,” NICASA president Frank Onyekwelu said.

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