Olushola Omogbehin
The Nigerian Government has declared that it will no longer allow the dehumanisation and humiliation of its citizens in South Africa.
This declaration is coming a day after Nigeria formally reported recurring xenophobic and Afrophobic attacks in South Africa to the African Union (AU).
This was disclosed by Vice President Kashim Shettima in Luanda, Angola, where he represented President Bola Tinubu at the 21st Extraordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the AU.
Addressing journalists just before leaving for Nigeria, Shettima said although Nigeria remained opened to dialogue and peaceful engagement with South Africa, it would no longer keep silent whenever the dignity, safety and rights of Nigerians were threatened.
“Those whose palm kernels were cracked by benevolent spirits should learn to be humble. We were part of the struggle for the liberation of our brothers and sisters in Southern Africa, and we feel personally pained that our people have been picked up for humiliation,” he said.
Vice President Shettima said Nigeria’s huge historical role in the liberation of Southern Africa made the reported mistreatment of its citizens particularly painful.
“The government and people of Nigeria will no longer countenance a situation whereby our people are dehumanised and put into very, very unacceptable situations.
“But we believe in having very robust conversations with our South African brothers. We don’t want to overheat the polity, but once in a while, you have to make it very clear, vehemently clear, that certain situations are unacceptable, and we’ll work things out,” he said.
Earlier, President Tinubu had taken Nigeria’s concerns over recurring xenophobic and Afrophobic attacks to the AU, calling for urgent continental intervention.
In the message delivered by Shettima at the AU extraordinary summit, Tinubu asked the continental body to place the matter on the agenda of its 40th Ordinary Session scheduled for January 2027 for consideration and appropriate action.
The message maintained that while Nigeria recognised South Africa’s sovereign right to enforce its immigration laws, attacks on Africans and other foreign nationals undermined African solidarity, unity and peaceful coexistence.
He therefore appealed to African leaders to reaffirm their commitment to the safety, protection and dignity of African nationals and called for stronger continental efforts against xenophobia and Afrophobia.
