Xenophobic attack: National Assembly halts official engagements with South Africa

Nigeria’s National Assembly has suspended all official trips to South Africa and announced a boycott of legislative programmes hosted by the country until further notice.

The decision was taken in response to continued reports of xenophobic attacks and growing hostility against Nigerians and other African nationals living in South Africa.

The leadership of the Senate and the House of Representatives reached the decision after reviewing reports of Nigerians being killed, injured and displaced, with some forced to abandon their businesses, investments, homes and other properties due to recurring violence.

In a statement signed by the Clerk to the National Assembly, Kamoru Ogunlana, the lawmakers said they were deeply concerned about the situation.

The National Assembly noted that repeated appeals by the Nigerian government and other stakeholders had been made to South African authorities to protect Nigerians and other foreign nationals and ensure that those responsible for attacks were brought to justice.

However, it said the appeals had failed to stop reports of further incidents, prompting the legislative arm of government to take the latest action.

The boycott will remain in place until further notice, as the National Assembly continues to monitor the situation and the safety of Nigerians in South Africa.

The National Assembly also acknowledged the Federal Government’s intervention, including efforts to assist affected Nigerians and facilitate the return of Nigerian nationals from South Africa.

Under the resolution, official visits to South Africa by the National Assembly, its committees, lawmakers, officials and staff are suspended.

The boycott also covers conferences, seminars, workshops, parliamentary meetings, legislative exchanges and other activities organised or hosted by South African legislative authorities.

Physical participation in South African-hosted legislative programmes, as well as participation through virtual or online platforms, is also covered.

The leadership has directed the Clerk to issue the necessary communication to senators, members of the House of Representatives, committees, departments, directorates, officials and staff to ensure strict compliance.

The suspension, it said, would remain in force until further notice and would be subject to review by the leadership as circumstances warrant.

The National Assembly’s action comes after months of renewed hostility towards African migrants in South Africa and a series of measures by the Nigerian government.

In June, Nigeria began evacuating citizens from South Africa following renewed xenophobic attacks.

The first batch of 258 Nigerians arrived in Lagos on June 11, while subsequent evacuation flights brought back several more.

The Federal Government said that Nigerians who voluntarily registered, were screened, and cleared would be brought home safely.

The returns continued beyond the initial evacuation exercise.

In August, 83 Nigerian returnees arrived in Lagos following renewed xenophobic attacks, while another 67 returned a week later.

The returnees were received by government agencies for documentation, profiling, and reunification with their families.

Nigeria has also pressed South Africa to take concrete action against the attacks.

In July, the Federal Government urged South African authorities to address recurring xenophobic attacks against Nigerians, while Nigeria’s Acting High Commissioner to South Africa said the government had begun documenting businesses and properties abandoned by returning Nigerians with a view to seeking possible compensation.

President Bola Tinubu subsequently raised the issue at the African Union, calling for collective action and urging the AU to place xenophobic and Afrophobic attacks in South Africa on the agenda of its 40th Ordinary Session scheduled for January 2027.

Vice President Kashim Shettima also reiterated Nigeria’s opposition to the mistreatment of Nigerians and other African nationals, while stressing that Nigeria remained committed to dialogue and peaceful engagement with South Africa.

However, the National Assembly said its latest decision is not intended to undermine the longstanding historical, diplomatic and people-to-people relations between Nigeria and South Africa.

Rather, it described the suspension as a strong expression of concern over the safety, dignity and welfare of Nigerians living and conducting legitimate businesses there.

It called on the South African government to take urgent and concrete measures to protect Nigerians and other African nationals, prevent further xenophobic attacks, investigate reported incidents, arrest suspected perpetrators and prosecute those found culpable in accordance with the law.

The leadership also urged state Houses of Assembly to take note of the decision and said they may consider taking similar action, reaffirming its commitment to protecting Nigerian citizens abroad and saying it would continue to monitor developments concerning the safety and welfare of Nigerians in South Africa.

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