Nigeria demands justice, compensation after ‘Afrophobic’ attacks in South Africa

By Johnbosco Agbakwuru

ABUJA- THE Nigerian government has called for urgent action and reparations following a wave of violent attacks on Nigerians in South Africa.

The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye, told reporters after briefing President Bola Tinubu on talks with South African Foreign Minister Roland Lamola.

He said: “I briefed Mr. President on the meeting we had and the specific commitments we secured from the South Africans,” Enikanolaiye said.

“One immediate priority is to quickly activate the Early Warning Mechanism, and to strengthen the bi-national commission between our two countries.”

He added that President Tinubu “specifically” endorsed those measures.

Enikanolaiye said the ministerial-level engagement produced concrete results, including the evacuation of roughly 1,490 Nigerians back to Nigeria.

“We concluded evacuations of about 1,490 or so Nigerians. I thanked Mr. President for making the resources available,” he said, noting that two evacuation batches were funded by private individuals.

“We’ve done a good job bringing them back, even though quite a number still want to come back.”

Describing the violence as “Afrophobic,” not merely xenophobic, Enikanolaiye said the Nigerian president agreed the distinction mattered.

“President agreed with me that it is Afrophobic, and that Africa must unite in ensuring that we put an end to this spiral of violence targeted at Africans in South Africa,” he said, invoking Tinubu’s “very close relationship with Ramaphosa” as diplomatic leverage to stop the bloodshed.

Enikanolaiye also warned that diplomatic patience has limits. “Nigeria has options,” he said. “We are not helpless in this situation. All options are still on the table. But we would prefer diplomacy and negotiations to continue until we can arrive at a mutually acceptable outcome that will protect Nigerian citizens—their lives and property in South Africa.”

Family members and returnees have reported heavy losses of personal property, and Enikanolaiye said the government is preparing to press formal claims.

“There is an issue on the ground: those who have been repatriated lost a lot of valuables, and they are making demands that those things be compensated,” he said.

“In preparation for us lodging our claim, we have designed a form to be filled by all Nigerians who may have lost property in South Africa. We want to be able to proceed on the basis of data, on the basis of the quantum of losses they have suffered.”

On accountability and treatment of suspects, Enikanolaiye stressed a rights-based approach.

“Whether they are regular or irregular, they are human beings. Criminals have a right to life. You cannot say because they are criminals you begin to hound and kill them,” he said.

“We made that very clear, and South Africa agreed with that position.”

Enikanolaiye said negotiations with South Africa will continue and that the two governments will use the bi-national commission and other political channels to press for protections for Nigerians and other Africans.

“Our engagement with South Africa is ongoing. It’s not a one-off event,” he said. “They will be able to table those claims and see how we can explore options for compensation.”

The minister declined to give a final timetable but insisted on urgency.

“We intend to meet going forward,” he said. “Africa must unite to put an end to this orgy of violence and death and destruction of our nationals in South Africa.”

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