Vice President Kashim Shettima has warned that Nigeria will no longer tolerate the dehumanisation or mistreatment of its citizens in South Africa amid recurring xenophobic and Afrophobic attacks against African nationals.
Shettima said the Federal Government would continue to protect the dignity and safety of Nigerians while pursuing dialogue and peaceful engagement with the South African authorities.
The Vice President spoke to reporters in Luanda, Angola, on Monday shortly before departing for Nigeria after representing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the 21st Extraordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union (AU).
According to a statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications, Office of the Vice President, Stanley Nkwocha, Shettima said the attacks were particularly painful to Nigerians given the country’s historic role in the liberation struggle against apartheid and minority rule in Southern Africa.
“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,” Shettima said.
He stressed that Nigeria would avoid actions capable of unnecessarily escalating tensions between the two countries but would not remain silent when Nigerians were subjected to unacceptable treatment.
“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.
Shettima urged South African authorities to protect lives and respect human dignity while enforcing the country’s immigration laws.
The Vice President spoke a day after Nigeria formally raised concerns over recurring xenophobic and Afrophobic attacks in South Africa before the African Union, calling for urgent continental action.
In a message delivered by Shettima at the summit, President Tinubu told African leaders that attacks against Africans and other nationals in South Africa were undermining the continent’s solidarity, unity and peaceful coexistence.
“Nigeria wishes to express its concern over the recurring xenophobic and Afrophobic attacks against Africans and other nationals in South Africa,” Tinubu said in the message.
While acknowledging South Africa’s sovereign right to enforce its immigration laws and its contributions to the continent, the President said the recurring attacks required urgent collective attention.
Nigeria subsequently requested that the issue be placed on the agenda of the 40th Ordinary Session of the AU Assembly scheduled for January 2027 for consideration and appropriate action.
Tinubu urged African leaders to reaffirm their commitment to protecting the safety and dignity of all African nationals and strengthen continental efforts against xenophobia and Afrophobia through dialogue, preventive diplomacy and collective action.
