Nigeria has called on the South African Government to take decisive action against recurring Afrophobic attacks that have claimed the lives of Nigerians and other African nationals.
The call followed South African President Cyril Ramaphosa’s special envoy to Abuja to reaffirm bilateral relations and deliver a personal message to President Bola Tinubu.
Leading the South African delegation, Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola, said the visit reflected Pretoria’s commitment to strengthening ties with Nigeria.
He acknowledged Nigeria’s historic support for South Africa’s liberation struggle, describing the country’s solidarity during the anti-apartheid era as a sacrifice that remains deeply appreciated.
Lamola also reiterated President Ramaphosa’s condemnation of xenophobia, racism and all forms of violence, while stressing South Africa’s right to enforce its immigration laws.
Responding on behalf of President Tinubu, the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sola Enikanlaiye, expressed concern over the persistent attacks on Nigerians in South Africa, saying the repeated incidents had strained relations between Africa’s two largest economies.
He stressed the need for both countries to hold frank discussions to end the violence and strengthen their long-standing partnership.
Enikanlaiye recalled that attacks on Nigerians had been recorded over several years, including in 1995, 1998, 2006, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2021, 2024 and 2026.
He insisted that criminal suspects should be arrested and prosecuted rather than subjected to mob justice.
He added that many victims were legally resident in South Africa and had no links to criminal activities.
The Minister also described the recent evacuation of nearly 1,500 Nigerians from South Africa as heartbreaking, recalling the plight of women, children and elderly citizens who returned home after losing their homes and belongings during the violence.
He questioned the inability of South African security agencies to prevent the attacks and called for greater protection of law-abiding migrants in line with international human rights standards.
Officials from both countries, subsequently proceeded to a closed-door meeting to discuss security concerns, migration issues and measures to restore confidence in Nigeria-South Africa relations.
Both governments expressed optimism that the engagement would produce concrete steps to safeguard lives, strengthen bilateral cooperation and reinforce African solidarity.
Reports have it that at least 98 Nigerians had been killed in mob and hate-related attacks in South Africa since 2022.