The Federal Government on Monday said it is unhappy with South Africa’s weak response to a new wave of xenophobic attacks on Nigerians — and warned that retaliatory diplomatic moves, including a review of bilateral privileges, are being considered and “are not off the table.”
Minister of Foreign Affairs Amb Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu told State House reporters after meeting President Bola Tinubu that claims Nigerians under attack are illegal migrants are false. She said passport holders are being targeted: shops looted and burned, children intimidated at school, while police stand by.
“Our citizens are being harassed. Our citizens’ properties are being looted. Criminal actions are being perpetrated, and the police refuse to do anything. The South African government has not come out strongly and firmly enough to condemn these incidents.
“To say that Nigerians who are in South Africa doing legitimate business are illegal migrants is absolutely untrue. People who are doing legitimate business have their shops looted, their shops set on fire. Children cannot go to school because they are intimidated in their schools.”
Ojukwu recalled Nigeria’s long support for South Africa’s freedom struggle and said Nigerians are angry. “Nigeria is not happy with South Africa. Nigeria sacrificed much for the South African struggle for independence… Nigerians are not happy about how they have been treated,” she said, adding: “They are not asking other migrants to leave. They are only asking black migrants to leave.”
She confirmed President Tinubu approved five Air Peace evacuation flights, a crisis unit at the Johannesburg consulate and the Pretoria mission. As of June 8, 1,092 Nigerians had registered for repatriation (screening extended to June 10); over 500 cleared. The first flight was moved to Wednesday for logistical reasons.
“That is a situation that we are considering… But it is not off the table.” The House urged suspending business permits for South African firms; the Senate will send a delegation led by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
The crisis followed anti-immigrant protests in late April by groups including Operation Dudula and March for March. South Africa objected to the evacuation; Ojukwu said she stood firm: “I maintained that our government cannot stand by and watch the systematic harassment and humiliation of our nationals… and that the evacuation of our citizens who want to return home remains our government’s priority at this time.” Nigeria had earlier summoned Acting High Commissioner Lesoli Machele. Past xenophobic waves hit in 2008, 2015 and 2019, when Air Peace CEO Allen Onyema offered free flights and Nigeria recalled its High Commissioner as tensions flared.
