Xenophobia Crisis: FG Presses South Africa for Justice as Tensions Rise

The Federal Government has demanded justice for Nigerians killed in South Africa, adequate compensation for those whose properties were looted, businesses destroyed, and who were forced to return home empty-handed.

It also insisted that Nigeria was not helpless in responding to the attacks, saying diplomacy remained its preferred option, although “all options” were still open.

The government said no fewer than 98 Nigerians were killed in xenophobic and Afrophobic attacks in South Africa within the last four years.

It said a comprehensive compilation of losses suffered by thousands of Nigerians residing in that country was being undertaken with the intention of presenting claims to the South African government, which, it alleged, looked the other way while rampaging mobs carried out the attacks.

In some instances, security agents directly killed Nigerians or acquiesced while the heinous acts were being perpetrated.

More than 1,400 Nigerians forced to flee were flown back from the former apartheid enclave.

The attacks were not limited to Nigerians and Ghanaians. Many citizens of Southern African countries, including Malawi, Botswana, Namibia, Mozambique and Zimbabwe, were also attacked.

Minister of State for Foreign AffairAs, Sola Enikanolaiye, met with President Cyril Ramaphosa’s special envoy and Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola, in Abuja on Monday to express the Nigerian government’s displeasure over the treatment meted out to its citizens.

The minister spoke with The Nation yesterday  on the day he briefed the President on his discussions with Lamola.

“We have seen a pattern that has become a concern to the Nigerian government,” Enikanolaiye said, citing outbreaks of anti-migrant violence dating back to 1995, with official records indicating that 98 Nigerians have been killed in mob and hate-related attacks in the Rainbow Nation since 2022.

In an exclusive interview, the minister said South African protesters were not permitted under international law to hunt, harass, kill or loot the property of Nigerians or other Africans, as witnessed during the attacks.

“We made it very clear. And he (the special envoy) agreed with us,” Enikanolaiye said.

While there was no clear agreement yet on compensation for affected Nigerian residents during the meeting with Lamola, Enikanolaiye said the government had designed a claims form, which had been distributed to victims for documentation of their losses.

Enikanolaiye said: “You can’t even make a claim unless you know exactly the volume and distribution of those who are making those claims.

“South Africans are a little bit edgy about compensation, and I remember it was a major contentious issue when we were negotiating the Early Warning Mechanism.

“When I was Permanent Secretary, almost 10 years ago, we insisted that there must be a clear provision for compensation. They came back with a formulation that spoke about insurance claims.

“The South African special envoy spoke about the laws that uphold the property right and that where there is property damage, there are institutional and legal mechanisms for obtaining redress.

“We regard this as a work in progress. Despite the ongoing discussions, we will submit our claims when we complete the verification process on our side.”

The minister added: “I told them we are countries governed by the rule of law. Criminals are to be treated in accordance with the rule of law. We also found that some of the victims of these Afrophobic attacks are legal residents in the country.

“As regards the number of Nigerians who have died, we gave them that list from 2022 to date. They promised to fast-track investigations into those deaths. We also insisted on accountability.

“They told us that some arrests had been made, some prosecutions were ongoing, and they assured us of diligent prosecution. We insisted on convictions. That was what we discussed yesterday (Monday).

“I also told them that we are compiling a comprehensive list of the losses our nationals have incurred.”

He emphasised that the central focus of Nigeria’s foreign policy under the Tinubu administration is the welfare of Nigerians.

“So, whatever we do, even within the four pillars that we have prioritised, the movement is about the Nigerian people, their welfare, their security, their defence, and everything that will make Nigeria a stable, prosperous and great country.

“It’s what our foreign policy is about, and it complements what we are also doing domestically.

“So, we need a stable economy. The economy is now stable. We are moving towards development that will bring greater benefits to the lives of Nigerians.

“It’s all about making the Nigerian home strong, resilient and stable. Flowing from that is West Africa. We believe that getting value from Nigeria’s foreign policy is a function of how well we collaborate with the rest of the world.”

Enikanolaiye, after briefing President Tinubu on his meeting with Lamola, said: “We are not helpless in this situation. All options are still on the table.”

He stressed that every Nigerian deserved protection regardless of immigration status.

“Whether they are regular or irregular, they are human beings… Criminals also have a right to life.

“You cannot say because they are criminals and begin to hound and kill them,” he said, adding that South Africa agreed with the position.

Enikanolaiye said both sides agreed to quickly activate the Early Warning Mechanism and the Nigeria-South Africa Bi-National Commission.

He said about 1,490 Nigerians had already been evacuated, with two batches sponsored by private individuals, and thanked President Tinubu for approving resources for the evacuation.

Many more citizens still wished to return, he said, adding that government was exploring further funding.

On compensation demands, Enikanolaye said Nigeria had designed a claims form to document losses, insisting negotiations would be data-driven.

“Our engagement with South Africa is ongoing… We will then table those claims and explore options for compensation,” he said.

He added that President Tinubu agreed the violence was better described as Afrophobic rather than xenophobic, and would leverage his relationship with Ramaphosa to pursue a lasting solution.