By Stephen Simon
The Federal Government has expressed strong displeasure over what it describes as South Africa’s inadequate response to recent xenophobic attacks targeting Nigerian citizens, warning that possible diplomatic countermeasures, including a review of bilateral agreements, are under consideration.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, disclosed this after a meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. She also dismissed claims by some South African authorities that Nigerians affected by the violence are illegal migrants.
According to her, Nigerian nationals in South Africa have been subjected to harassment, with reports of shops being looted and burned, while children reportedly face intimidation in schools. She alleged that these incidents have continued without decisive intervention by South African law enforcement agencies.
The minister stressed that many of the victims are lawful residents engaged in legitimate business activities, rejecting attempts to label them as undocumented migrants.
She also recalled Nigeria’s historical support for South Africa’s liberation struggle, noting that the current treatment of Nigerians undermines decades of diplomatic solidarity between both countries.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu stated that while no final decision has been made, the possibility of retaliatory diplomatic actions remains open and is being considered at the highest level of government.
She added that the House of Representatives had previously suggested a temporary suspension of business permits issued to South African companies operating in Nigeria, while the Senate proposed sending a high-level delegation to engage South African authorities.
On evacuation efforts, she confirmed that President Bola Tinubu had approved five Air Peace flights to repatriate affected Nigerians. As of June 8, over 1,000 Nigerians had registered for evacuation, with screening exercises extended to accommodate more applicants.
More than 500 individuals have already been cleared for repatriation, while the first scheduled evacuation flight was rescheduled due to operational reasons, not diplomatic issues.
The minister also noted that the evacuation process is being coordinated with relevant federal agencies and would include post-arrival support and rehabilitation for returnees.
She explained that the current wave of xenophobic unrest was triggered by anti-immigration protests in South Africa, which have heightened tensions and insecurity for foreign nationals.
Nigeria’s Foreign Ministry has maintained that it will continue to prioritise the safety and dignity of its citizens abroad while engaging diplomatically with South African authorities to resolve the crisis.
