In its statement, Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Iroegbu was reportedly killed in Pretoria by officers from the Tshwane Metropolitan Police Department.

Joe, killed on June 28, was attacked outside his shop in the town of eMalahleni, the ministry said.

Abuja said he was notifying the South African government and that “all options remain on the table… if South Africa’s uncouth and provocative trend of intolerance and apartheid-style behavior against foreigners is not addressed.”

Nigeria has said it will seek compensation from South Africa for its citizens who left the country, adding that Abuja had begun documenting businesses and properties left by Nigerians.

However, at a press conference on Friday, South African cabinet minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said his government would not pay compensation and that Nigerians can sell the registered properties they left on the South African market.

He also said: “We would be interested to know where the Nigerians’ drug dens are, so that they can show us where they have been keeping the drugs so that we can clean them up in South Africa quite urgently.”

Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly condemned this comment in its statement on Sunday, calling it “unacceptable.”

“These widespread, derogatory, unprofessional and uncensored public statements by high-ranking government officials constitute hate speech,” the ministry said.