Africa-Press – Nigeria. Nigeria announced that South Africa has agreed to bring those responsible for attacks on foreign nationals to justice, while Abuja is preparing compensation claims for the losses incurred by Nigerians. Both countries pledged to tone down the rhetoric regarding the violence.
These commitments came after talks held in Abuja between Nigerian Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Sula Enikanolaiye, and South African Minister of International Relations, Ronald Lamola, aimed at easing tensions ignited by attacks on Nigerian citizens in South Africa. Armed groups in South Africa have targeted foreign African nationals and looted shops owned by migrants in recent months. Anti-immigration protesters held demonstrations in several cities in June, demanding that illegal immigrants leave the country.
The Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on July 16 that Nigeria has repatriated about 1,490 citizens following the unrest. The violence has reignited long-standing tensions between the two largest economies in Africa.
Enikanolaiye stated after the talks, “We agreed on the necessity to calm the tensions that have erupted between our two countries and peoples,” adding that both sides will work to reduce public discourse and maintain the relationships built over decades of cooperation.
He clarified that South Africa assured Nigeria that the perpetrators of the attacks would be prosecuted, and that Abuja is currently preparing claims for compensation for the material losses suffered by Nigerians, which could form the basis for future compensation discussions.
Nigeria also called for enhanced measures to protect its citizens, including an early warning system, increased security in violence-prone areas, and accountability for those responsible for the attacks.
Lamola stated that the South African government condemns “all forms of xenophobia” and emphasized that no individual has the right to take the law into their own hands. He added, “The ongoing protests and acts of violence are not state-sponsored, nor does the South African government condone them.”
He remarked, “We agreed on the necessity to address all criminal issues according to the law,” adding that authorities are conducting arrests and prosecutions of those involved in the violence.
Nigeria has repatriated about 1,490 citizens from South Africa following the recent wave of unrest, with the Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stating that the repatriation was to protect citizens wishing to leave the country amid the assaults.
The South African delegation also raised concerns regarding allegations that some Nigerian citizens are involved in drug trafficking, cybercrime, and other organized crime activities. However, Lamola affirmed that these allegations should be addressed through the law and judiciary, and should not be used as a justification to punish an entire community or to perpetrate violence against migrants.
The new agreement tests the ability of both countries to prevent the recurrence of assaults and to develop security and diplomatic mechanisms to address migrant grievances, alongside cooperation on immigration, organized crime, and regional security.
