Nigeria Demands End to Killings of Citizens in South Africa

Nigeria has lodged a strong diplomatic protest against South Africa over the persistent killings of its citizens, with Nigeria's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye, revealing that at least 98 Nigerians have died since 2022 in mob attacks, hate crimes, and extra-judicial killings. The demand for urgent action came during a high-level meeting in Abuja with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Special Envoy, Ronald Lamola.

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no fewer than 98 Nigerians had lost their lives in the country since 2022 through mob violence, hate-related attacks and extra-judicial killings, describing the trend as unacceptable.

Ambassador Enikanolaiye expressed Nigeria's deep concern over the "persistent targeting" of Nigerians and other African migrants in South Africa, deeming the trend "unacceptable." He urged Pretoria to implement decisive measures to protect foreign nationals, prosecute those responsible for the attacks, and prevent future incidents. Enikanolaiye reminded South Africa of Nigeria's historical support during its liberation struggle against apartheid, emphasizing that the long-standing relationship should not be jeopardized by recurring xenophobic violence. He also pointed to the humanitarian impact, noting the recent evacuation of 1,490 Nigerians who fled insecurity and fear.

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Our hope is that by this time next year, we will be counting outcomes produced from this year’s forum.

In response, Lamola reaffirmed South Africa's commitment to combating xenophobia and racism. However, he asserted South Africa's sovereign right to enforce its immigration laws and raised concerns about alleged involvement of some Nigerian nationals in organized criminal activities. Lamola stated that South African security agencies have arrested suspects linked to recent attacks on Nigerians and that prosecutions are underway. He called for enhanced collaboration between the two nations to address transnational organized crime while safeguarding the rights of law-abiding citizens. The meeting aimed to prevent further deterioration in bilateral relations between Africa's two largest economies.

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We realised we were trying to deliver the last mile of a system when the road had not yet been built.