…Seeks protection, dignity of African nationals
…Nigeria pushes Afrophobia onto continental agenda
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has renewed Nigeria’s condemnation of recurring xenophobic and Afrophobic attacks against Nigerians and other African nationals in South Africa, demanding urgent collective action by African leaders to halt the violence and protect the dignity of citizens across the continent.
Tinubu also asked the African Union (AU) to formally take up the matter at its next ordinary summit, warning that persistent attacks on fellow Africans undermine the ideals of African solidarity, unity and peaceful coexistence.
Vice President Kashim Shettima delivered the President’s message on Sunday at the 21st Extraordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the AU in Luanda, Angola.
The intervention represents an escalation of Nigeria’s diplomatic push for a continent-wide response to the recurring hostility towards African migrants in South Africa, barely six weeks after Tinubu raised the matter before West African leaders and demanded a united position against the attacks.
“Nigeria wishes to express its concern over the recurring xenophobic and Afophobic attacks against Africans and other nationalities in South Africa”, the President said in the message delivered by Shettima.
While acknowledging Pretoria’s authority to regulate migration and enforce its laws, Tinubu stressed that immigration enforcement could not justify violence or attacks on African nationals.
“While recognising South Africa’s sovereign right to enforce its immigration laws and acknowledging its contributions to the continent, Nigeria stresses that such attacks undermine African solidarity, unity, and peaceful coexistence, and require urgent collective action”, he said.
The President consequently urged the AU Assembly to reaffirm the continent’s responsibility to guarantee the security and dignity of Africans wherever they reside.
“It is on this note that Nigeria calls on this August Assembly to reaffirm its commitment to the safety, protection, and dignity of all African nationals, strengthening efforts to combat xenophobia and Afrophobia and therefore place the matter on the agenda of the upcoming 40th Ordinary Session of the AU Assembly, scheduled for January 2027, for consideration and appropriate action”, he said.
Tinubu maintained that confrontation alone would not resolve the underlying tensions, advocating diplomatic engagement and concerted continental action to address the problem.
“Nigeria emphasises that dialogue, preventive diplomacy, and collective action are essential to advancing African unity and solidarity”, the President said.
Nigeria’s latest intervention comes against the backdrop of renewed anti-immigrant agitation and attacks in South Africa this year, where Nigerians and nationals of several other African countries have faced threats, harassment and violence.
The crisis has been linked partly to anti-immigrant campaigns by groups blaming foreign African nationals for unemployment, crime and pressure on public services in South Africa.
Human Rights Watch reported in May that the latest wave of anti-immigrant activism had involved vigilante groups, including Operation Dudula and March and March, with foreign nationals in some instances prevented from accessing public healthcare and education facilities.
The African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights had similarly expressed grave concern over reports of xenophobic violence, intimidation, assaults and harassment targeting nationals of other African countries.
Tensions escalated further in June when anti-immigrant groups staged demonstrations, including a June 30 march during which an unofficial deadline was reportedly issued for undocumented foreign nationals to leave South Africa.
The deteriorating situation prompted the Federal Government to embark on a series of evacuation flights for Nigerians who considered themselves at risk.
According to the Federal Government, 1,490 Nigerians were eventually evacuated in seven coordinated flights between June 10 and July 15.
Nigeria subsequently intensified diplomatic engagement with Pretoria, insisting that while it recognised South Africa’s right to enforce immigration laws and did not condone criminal activities by Nigerians abroad, suspected offenders should be dealt with through lawful processes rather than mob action.
The issue had featured prominently at the 69th Ordinary Session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) held in Freetown, Sierra Leone, on July 19.
Tinubu, also represented at the summit by Shettima, condemned the attacks “in the strongest terms” and urged ECOWAS leaders to speak with one voice against the treatment of Nigerians and other Africans in South Africa.
He specifically urged the regional bloc to take the matter beyond West Africa and place it before the AU, a proposal Nigeria has now formally pursued at the continental body in Luanda.
At the Freetown summit, Tinubu had argued that a united African position would demonstrate that intolerance towards fellow Africans would not be accepted under any guise.
He also reminded South Africa of the role played by Nigeria and other African countries in the struggle against apartheid and the country’s eventual liberation, while informing ECOWAS leaders that Nigeria had evacuated 1,490 citizens from the troubled environment.
South Africa, however, has repeatedly rejected suggestions that its government condones xenophobic violence.
