ABUJA, July 28 – Nigeria has called on South Africa to do more to stop repeated xenophobic attacks on Nigerians and other African migrants, saying the violence is hurting relations between both countries and raising concerns about the government’s response.
The issue was discussed on Monday in Abuja during a meeting between Nigerian officials and a South African delegation led by International Relations Minister and Special Envoy Ronald Lamola.
Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Sola Enikanolaiye, said President Bola Tinubu directed the meeting to address what Nigeria described as continued attacks on Nigerians and other African migrants living in South Africa.
According to Nigerian officials, at least four people have been killed in the latest wave of violence, while anti-immigration protests took place in several South African cities last month. They also said 1,490 Nigerians have been evacuated from South Africa since the recent attacks began.
Enikanolaiye said Nigeria has recorded repeated outbreaks of anti-migrant violence since 1995 and that at least 98 Nigerians have been killed in xenophobic attacks since 2022. He added that the victims included people living legally in South Africa and raised concerns over cases where police were said to have failed to intervene.
Lamola said President Cyril Ramaphosa’s government remains firmly against xenophobia, racism and all forms of discrimination.
Enikanolaiye also stressed that while Nigeria does not support criminal acts by its citizens abroad, anyone accused of a crime should be arrested and prosecuted through the courts rather than attacked by mobs.
