A 45-year-old Nigerian man identified as Clement Emeka Uzo, was on Sunday, February 8, shot dead during an anti-drug operation in Ekurhuleni, Gauteng province, Windsor east area of Johannesburg, South Africa.
The Nigerian Union South Africa (NUSA), which confirmed the incident in a statement made available to journalists in Abuja on Monday, said Uzor who hailed from Nkerefi in Nkanu East Local Government Area of Enugu State, was killed in a suspected incident of assassination while in his vehicle.
In the statement jointly issued by its President, Smart Nwobi, and Publicity Secretary, Akindele Olunloyo, the Union said the incident occurred while a drug-busting operation was being filmed for a popular television programme.
“The incident occurred on Sunday, February 8, 2026, in the suburban region of Johannesburg and involved members of the political party ActionSA, alongside its Ekurhuleni Mayoral candidate, Councillor Xolani Khumalo,” the Union statement reads.
“The deceased was fatally shot at about 3. p.m. at a Carltex Garage in Windsor East, Randburg, Johannesburg. The deceased Nigerian was allegedly sleeping inside his vehicle when the incident occurred,” the Union said.
An eyewitness who spoke on the incident also claimed that the Nigerian was found sleeping in his car and panicked when he woke up to see a man on the bonnet of his car, and attempted to drive away, thinking it was a hijacking and was shot in the process.
ActionSA which also confirmed the incident in a statement on Monday, said that “during an anti-drug operation yesterday, joined by ActionSA’s Ekurhuleni Mayoral Candidate, Cllr Xolani Khumalo, a shooting incident occurred in which a Nigerian suspect, identified as being involved in drug trafficking, was shot.”
Another statement issued by Khumalo in his capacity as ActionSA’s Ekurhuleni Mayoral candidate also stated:
“I can confirm that there was a shooting incident during an anti-drug operation yesterday. A Nigerian suspect was shot,” Khumalo said.
According to the statement, the operation was part of ActionSA’s broader campaign against drug trafficking and organised crime, which the party said has continued to terrorise communities through violence and intimidation.
“We are facing violent resistance from drug syndicates but we must push forward to rid our communities of this scourge.
ActionSA would continue to support every decisive and lawful measure to dismantle drug syndicates. Criminals had grown “comfortable believing they are untouchable.”
“For too long, drug syndicates have terrorised our communities through violence, intimidation and total disregard for the law,” the statement read.
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