Africa-Press – Nigeria. Nigeria has urged South Africa to make greater efforts to prevent racist attacks against Nigerians and other African migrants, noting that the recurring violence strains relations and raises questions about whether the government is complicit.
These remarks came during talks in Abuja between Nigerian officials and a South African delegation led by the special envoy and Minister of International Relations Ronald Lamola.
The Nigerian Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Sula Enikanolaiye, stated that President Bola Tinubu ordered the meeting to discuss what Abuja described as “ongoing racist attacks” targeting Nigerians and other African migrants in South Africa.
Enikanolaiye said, “We have noticed a pattern that is causing concern for the Nigerian government,” referring to waves of violence against migrants dating back to 1995. He added that at least 98 Nigerians have been killed in attacks against foreigners since 2022.
Enikanolaiye noted that the assaults have not been limited to those suspected of committing crimes but have also affected citizens residing legally in South Africa.
He added that Nigerian authorities have documented instances where the police appeared reluctant to intervene, raising “issues of complicity if state authorities are unwilling or unable” to protect foreign nationals.
Enikanolaiye emphasized that while Nigeria does not tolerate criminal activities committed by its citizens abroad, suspects should be subjected to fair legal processes rather than mob violence, adding, “If there are criminals, the solution is not to kill them, but to arrest and prosecute them.” For his part, Lamola stated that the government of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa strongly opposes xenophobia, racism, and discrimination.
As the most industrialized economy in Africa, South Africa has attracted migrants from Nigeria, as well as from other countries such as Ghana, Mozambique, and Malawi.
South African armed groups have launched repeated attacks on foreign nationals and looted shops owned by foreigners in recent months, with many South Africans blaming migrants for issues such as crime and unemployment.
At least four people have been killed, and anti-immigration protesters called for illegal migrants to leave the country last month, organizing marches in several South African cities. Nigerian officials reported that at least 1,490 Nigerians have been evacuated from South Africa since the recent wave of violence against foreigners began.
