- The Federal Government has warned that retaliatory diplomatic measures, including a sweeping review of bilateral corporate privileges, are actively on the table due to South Africa’s failure to halt xenophobic violence against Nigerians.
- Following severe looting and harassment driven by anti-immigrant groups like Operation Dudula, over 1,000 Nigerians have registered for voluntary repatriation, with emergency Air Peace flights set to commence on Wednesday.
- Minister of Foreign Affairs Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu firmly rejected allegations that targeted Nigerians were illegal migrants, accusing South African law enforcement of standing by while businesses were torched.
The Federal Government on Monday declared that it is deeply displeased with the South African government’s failure to respond firmly to the renewed wave of xenophobic attacks targeting Nigerian nationals.
Eko Hot Blog reports that briefing State House correspondents after a high-level meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, warned that retaliatory diplomatic gestures, including a full review of bilateral privileges enjoyed by South African businesses, are being actively considered and are not off the table.
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The minister strongly rejected claims by South African authorities that the Nigerians under attack were illegal migrants, stressing that legitimate passport holders were being harassed, having their shops looted and set ablaze, and their children intimidated in schools while local police forces looked on without intervening.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu cited Nigeria’s extensive historical and financial sacrifices for South Africa’s liberation struggle against apartheid, noting that the current systemic harassment makes the treatment of Nigerian residents exceptionally painful and unacceptable.
She emphasized that the ongoing hostility is highly targeted, observing that the perpetrators are specifically demanding that black African migrants leave.
In response to the legislative call for action, the House of Representatives has already recommended a temporary suspension of business permits for South African corporations operating within Nigeria.
Concurrently, the Senate has resolved to send a high-level delegation led by Senate President Godswill Akpabio to South Africa to formally convey the country’s severe displeasure.
To protect affected citizens, President Tinubu has approved five emergency Air Peace evacuation flights and directed a crisis response unit to be immediately established within Nigeria’s consulate in Johannesburg and the mission in Pretoria.
As of Monday, June 8, 2026, a total of 1,092 Nigerians had voluntarily registered for repatriation, prompting authorities to extend the official screening exercise to June 10 to accommodate the surge of applicants.
While the first evacuation flight carrying roughly 270 passengers was originally scheduled to depart Johannesburg on Monday, it was pushed back to Wednesday due to logistical and operational considerations.
The foreign ministry clarified that the brief delay was strictly structural and not caused by diplomatic setbacks, confirming that the returning nationals will receive comprehensive rehabilitation and reintegration support from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) upon arrival.
