President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has called for urgent collective action by African leaders against xenophobic and Afrophobic attacks targeting Nigerians and other African nationals in South Africa.
Tinubu, represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima at the 21st Extraordinary Session of the African Union Assembly in Luanda, Angola, urged the AU to place the issue on the agenda of its 40th Ordinary Session scheduled for January 2027. He said attacks against fellow Africans undermine continental solidarity, unity and peaceful coexistence.
While acknowledging South Africa’s sovereign right to regulate migration and enforce its laws, the President said immigration enforcement could not justify violence against African nationals. He called for dialogue, preventive diplomacy and coordinated continental action rather than confrontation.
Foreign Minister Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu also warned that Nigeria could consider retaliatory measures against South Africa if violent attacks persisted. The Federal Government has intensified diplomatic engagement with Pretoria while maintaining that suspected offenders should face lawful processes rather than mob action.
The renewed tension follows a wave of anti-immigrant agitation in South Africa this year. Human Rights Watch reported in May that vigilante groups, including Operation Dudula and March and March, had targeted foreign nationals, with some reportedly prevented from accessing public healthcare and education facilities. The African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights has also expressed concern over reported xenophobic violence, intimidation and harassment.
The situation escalated in June when anti-immigrant groups organised demonstrations, including a June 30 march during which an unofficial deadline was reportedly issued for undocumented foreign nationals to leave the country. The deteriorating security situation prompted Nigeria to organise seven evacuation flights between June 10 and July 15, bringing 1,490 Nigerians home.
Separately, Defence Minister Christopher Musa said Nigeria was strengthening its borders in response to security threats linked to instability across the Sahel. He said the government was increasing the manpower and operational capacity of the Armed Forces and other security agencies, while Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo highlighted strengthened data protection and identity management systems. NiDCOM Chairman Abike Dabiri-Erewa also assured Nigerians abroad of continued government support and protection.
