- Nigeria says it will protect its citizens and interests in South Africa
- The government has evacuated vulnerable Nigerians amid rising xenophobic attacks
- Officials are also pursuing compensation for affected businesses and properties
The Federal Government has declared that it will not tolerate the intimidation of Nigerians or any threat to the country’s interests amid the recent wave of xenophobic attacks and anti-immigration protests in South Africa.
Eko Hot Blog gathered that the Presidential Adviser on Foreign Affairs, Demola Oshodi, made the position known during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Tuesday, assuring Nigerians that the government is taking concrete steps to protect both its citizens and national investments in South Africa.
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Oshodi stressed that while Nigeria has significant economic interests in South Africa, the safety and welfare of its citizens remain the government’s top priority.
He noted that President Bola Tinubu has already deployed Nigeria’s ambassador to South Africa to engage with the authorities and monitor the situation closely.
According to him, the Federal Government has also evacuated hundreds of vulnerable Nigerians from South Africa and continues to work with the South African government to address the growing concerns.
He explained that Nigeria would not resort to extreme measures because both countries share strong diplomatic and economic ties as two of Africa’s largest economies.
Oshodi said the government is carefully monitoring developments, particularly following the June 30 deadline issued by some anti-immigration groups demanding that undocumented foreigners leave South Africa.
He added that Nigerian authorities are assessing the South African government’s response and its efforts to safeguard foreign nationals.
Meanwhile, Acting Nigerian High Commissioner to South Africa, Alexander Ajayi, disclosed that the Federal Government is considering seeking compensation for Nigerians who abandoned businesses, shops and other properties while fleeing the unrest.
Ajayi said the government is collecting detailed information from affected Nigerians and plans to work with South African authorities to identify damaged or abandoned properties with a view to pursuing possible compensation.
He assured affected citizens that the government would not allow years of investment and hard work to be lost without exploring legal and diplomatic options.
The renewed anti-immigration campaign has prompted several countries, including Nigeria and Ghana, to evacuate some of their citizens from South Africa. Another group of Nigerian returnees arrived in Lagos on Tuesday under the government’s voluntary evacuation programme.
The protests reached a peak on Tuesday as thousands of demonstrators marched across several South African cities demanding the removal of undocumented migrants after weeks of mobilisation by citizen groups.
Security personnel were deployed in major cities, including Johannesburg and Durban, where isolated clashes, stone-throwing and looting were reported. Authorities also made several arrests as soldiers were stationed in parts of the affected areas to maintain order.
Businesses remained largely closed, public transportation was disrupted and many residents stayed indoors as demonstrations unfolded across the country.
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