2 Nigerians shot dead by masked gunmen in South Africa

Two Nigerians simply identified as Austin and Ayo were gunned down by unknown assailants on Thursday, July 9, 2025.

According to media reports, the attack occurred around 8pm when three masked gunmen stormed Austin’s office.

Upon entry, they found both men inside and shot them at close range without uttering a word.

The motive behind the gruesome killing remains unclear, and South African authorities are yet to issue an official statement.

A friend of one of the deceased, who identified himself as Fidelis, told the PUNCH on the telephone on Monday, July 21, that both died on the spot.

“Austin runs a car business and also sells tyres in Durban. On the day of the incident, his friend Ayo came to visit him at his shop. They were standing and talking when some men wearing masks suddenly ran into the shop. The men were holding guns, and without saying a word, they shot both of them,” he said.

Fidelis said some customers who were present in the shop fled when they saw the men wielding their guns before the attack.

“People nearby said they heard gunshots and saw the masked men run away quickly after the attack. Efforts were made to rush the victims to the hospital, where they were confirmed d3ad on arrival by doctors on duty,” he added.

A source based in Nigeria and privy to the incident had earlier sent a Closed-Circuit Television footage of the incident to the publication.

In the footage, the late friends were both seen standing and having a chat when the gunmen emerged from the rear and shot Austin at close range. Ayo was, however, shot while trying to escape.

“We got to know about the incident a week after it happened. Although there were claims that the killing was connected to a business that went wrong, we had yet to figure out the cause of the attack. Even as we speak, the authorities have yet to fish out the perpetrators. We were only told an investigation was ongoing,” the source revealed.

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