Xenophobia: Enugu Ex-lawmakers petition Ramaphosa, threaten ICC action
By Emma Nnadozie
The Forum of Former Members of the Enugu State House of Assembly (FOF-MENHA) has issued a strongly worded petition to South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa, demanding an immediate end to xenophobic attacks against Nigerians and other African nationals in South Africa.
In a letter dated May 3, 2026, and signed by its Chairman, Denge Josef Umunnakwe Onoh, the group accused the South African government of failing to protect foreign nationals, alleging that the recurring violence amounts to complicity at the highest level of leadership.
The forum expressed concern over what it described as “persistent and deadly waves of xenophobic violence” targeting Nigerians, Ghanaians, Zimbabweans and other African migrants. It cited past outbreaks, including the 2008 attacks that reportedly claimed over 60 lives and displaced thousands, as well as subsequent spikes in 2015 and 2019.
According to the petition, monitoring groups have documented hundreds of deaths linked to xenophobic violence since the end of apartheid in 1994, alongside mass displacements and destruction of foreign-owned businesses.
The group also referenced recent incidents in April 2026, including the deaths of two Nigerians, Amaramiro Emmanuel and Ekpenyong Andrew, in separate circumstances allegedly tied to anti-foreigner sentiment. Emmanuel reportedly died after an assault involving members of the South African National Defence Force, while Andrew was said to have died after being apprehended by metro police in Pretoria.
FOF-MENHA alleged that despite repeated condemnations by South African authorities, there has been little concrete action to prevent attacks or bring perpetrators to justice. It argued that the continued violence reflects a pattern of “inaction and indifference.”
The petition further warned that failure by President Ramaphosa to act decisively could trigger international legal consequences. The group threatened to pursue accountability at the International Criminal Court (ICC), citing provisions of the Rome Statute relating to crimes against humanity, including murder and persecution.
Among its demands, the forum called for the immediate deployment of security forces to protect foreign nationals, independent investigations into recent killings, prosecution of offenders, compensation for victims, and stronger collaboration with African governments on migrant protection.
The group grounded its petition in provisions of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, insisting that urgent intervention is required to halt what it described as a worsening humanitarian and human rights crisis.
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