Dare Babalola
President Bola Tinubu has directed all Nigerian diplomatic missions in South Africa to immediately create crisis response units to assist Nigerians facing danger, following renewed anti-foreigner tensions in the country.
The directive was disclosed in a statement on Thursday by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, after a telephone discussion with South Africa’s Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola.
According to the minister, the emergency units are expected to provide rapid support and receive distress notifications from Nigerians threatened by the ongoing unrest.
She said, “President Bola Tinubu has directed that Nigerian missions in South Africa establish, with immediate effect, crisis notification units for citizens in distress.”
Odumegwu-Ojukwu also urged Nigerians living in South Africa to promptly report threatening situations to local security agencies while remaining in touch with Nigerian missions.
The minister said the discussion with Lamola focused on escalating attacks and growing hostility towards foreigners in parts of South Africa.
She noted that while Lamola reportedly expressed reservations about Nigeria’s planned evacuation of affected citizens, the Federal Government remained committed to protecting its nationals.
“I made it clear that our government cannot remain passive while Nigerians are subjected to harassment, humiliation and unlawful killings. The evacuation of citizens willing to return home remains a priority,” she said.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu added that she called on South African authorities to ensure that attacks against Nigerians are properly investigated and offenders brought to justice without delay.
“I also stressed the need for their police and justice institutions to take reported cases involving the killings of Nigerians more seriously, with swift and clear consequences for perpetrators,” she stated.
She further raised concerns over inflammatory anti-foreigner rhetoric by some political groups in South Africa, warning that such actions endanger Nigerians and other African nationals.
According to her, continued hostility could also threaten South African investments and interests in Nigeria.
The minister also revealed that some Nigerian children and children of mixed Nigerian-South African parentage had reportedly faced bullying in schools, with some being told to “go back to their country.”
She described the development as disturbing and capable of causing lasting emotional trauma to young people.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu said Lamola acknowledged the concern and assured that South African authorities were engaging relevant education bodies to discourage such behaviour.
Commending Nigerians resident in South Africa, the minister praised their restraint despite the tense atmosphere.
“Nigerians have continued to show commendable restraint in the face of provocation,” she said.
She also questioned whether the current hostility should still be described as xenophobia, arguing that the campaign appeared mainly directed at black African migrants.
“What is troubling is that the call for foreigners to leave South Africa seems focused largely on black Africans. This raises the question of whether the situation is better described as Afriphobia rather than xenophobia,” she said.
Both ministers reportedly agreed to sustain diplomatic engagement aimed at easing tensions, despite recent condemnations of the violence by President Cyril Ramaphosa and the South African government.
Speaking on protests in Durban on Wednesday, Odumegwu-Ojukwu said no violence was recorded due to a heavy security presence. However, Nigerians in the area were advised to close their businesses temporarily and remain indoors.
She added that at least 130 Nigerians had already registered for voluntary evacuation flights back home.
Earlier, the Federal Government summoned South Africa’s Acting High Commissioner to Nigeria, Lesoli Machele, over the deaths of two Nigerians identified as Nnaemeka Matthew Andrew Ekpeyong and Kelvin Chidiebere Amaramiro, who were allegedly assaulted by South African security operatives.
Recent anti-foreigner protests have been reported in Pretoria, Johannesburg, Durban, East London and parts of KwaZulu-Natal, with groups such as Operation Dudula and March and March Movement linked to the demonstrations.
The House of Representatives had also condemned the attacks and proposed a temporary suspension of business permits issued to South African companies operating in Nigeria.
South Africa has witnessed repeated outbreaks of anti-foreigner violence in 2008, 2015 and 2019, incidents that previously strained diplomatic relations with Nigeria.
