• HURIWA hails Tinubu’s response to S’African emissary

Federal Government has urged South Africa to take decisive steps to halt recurring xenophobic attacks against Nigerians and other African nationals, warning that the violence threatens decades of diplomatic goodwill and strategic cooperation between both countries.

Nigeria also insisted that it does not condone criminality and that anyone accused of wrongdoing should be prosecuted through the courts rather than subjected to mob violence or hate-driven attacks.

The call was made in Abuja yesterday when South African President Cyril Ramaphosa‘s Special Envoy and Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola, delivered a message from the South African leader to President Bola Tinubu during a meeting attended by Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye.

Speaking at the meeting, Enikanolaiye said President Tinubu directed that discussions with the South African delegation should address the recurring attacks “frankly and honestly”, stressing the need for practical measures to protect Nigerians and other foreign nationals living in South Africa.

He recalled Nigeria’s longstanding support for South Africa’s liberation struggle against apartheid and the close partnership between both countries in shaping continental institutions such as the African Union and the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD).

According to the minister, xenophobic violence has resurfaced repeatedly since 1995, with major outbreaks recorded in 1998, 2006, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2021, 2024 and again in 2026.

He disclosed that official records indicate that 98 Nigerians have been killed in mob and hate-related attacks in South Africa since 2022, describing Nigerians as among the principal victims of what the Federal Government termed “Afrophobia.”

Enikanolaiye reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to maintaining cordial relations with South Africa, expressing optimism that sustained dialogue would help rebuild confidence and strengthen the ideals of African solidarity.

In his remarks, Lamola said President Ramaphosa sent him to reaffirm the historic ties between the two countries and to engage the Nigerian government on concerns about attacks on foreign nationals.

He acknowledged Nigeria’s immense contribution to South Africa’s anti-apartheid struggle, saying the sacrifices made by Nigerians would never be forgotten.

He reiterated that the South African government remained firmly opposed to xenophobia, racism, discrimination, homophobia and every form of intolerance.

At the same time, he maintained that Pretoria had a sovereign responsibility to enforce its immigration laws and tackle crimes such as drug trafficking, internet fraud and other criminal activities.

The meeting came against the backdrop of renewed concerns over the safety of Nigerians living in South Africa following recurring xenophobic attacks over the years.

FOLLOWING the visit by the South African envoys, the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has applauded President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for reportedly declining to receive a special envoy dispatched by South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa.

It described the reported decision as an appropriate and timely diplomatic response to the continuing attacks, intimidation and destruction of the livelihoods of Nigerians in South Africa.

HURIWA National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, in a statement issued yesterday, said Nigeria must no longer treat recurring xenophobic and Afrophobic attacks against its citizens as isolated incidents requiring only expressions of concern and periodic evacuation.

The rights group believes that the reported decision by President Tinubu to withhold an audience from the South African envoy sends an important message that Nigeria expects concrete action, accountability and restitution, rather than diplomatic explanations, whenever the lives, properties and livelihoods of Nigerians are threatened.

HURIWA therefore urged the Federal Government to make payment of compensation to Nigerians whose businesses, homes and other properties had been destroyed during xenophobic attacks in South Africa a central condition of further diplomatic engagement.

HURIWA called for the establishment of a Victims Compensation and Restitution Framework to identify Nigerians who suffered losses during xenophobic attacks, assess their claims and ensure appropriate compensation.
MEANWHILE the South African authorities are investigating the death of a Nigerian man who allegedly collapsed while he was being arrested and maltreated by police in Cape Town last week.

The initial results from a post-mortem showed that Ibeh Chika Simon, 42, “sustained multiple bruises and abrasions on his back and chest”, according to the independent body that oversees police conduct.

Nigerian diplomat Ninikanwa Okey-Uche said her country was “deeply appalled by reports of the egregious police tactics that led to his death” on Thursday.

In its statement, Western Cape police said Simon died while he “was being placed under arrest [as] he allegedly became unwell and collapsed”.

Simon’s death comes amid heightened tensions between South Africa and Nigeria over allegations that Nigerians have been the target of xenophobic violence.

Earlier this month, the South African authorities confirmed the death of another Nigerian in June under similar circumstances.

In her statement condemning Simon’s death, Okey-Uche, Nigeria’s consul general in Johannesburg, called for a “transparent” investigation and alleged that there was “an alarming pattern of unresolved extrajudicial killings/deaths and unacceptable misconduct against foreign nationals”.