Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Sola Enikanolaiye, is currently holding talks with South Africa’s Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola, over renewed xenophobic attacks targeting Nigerians in the Southern African nation.
Lamola is attending the meeting as a special envoy of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.
While speaking at the meeting, Enikanolaiye said President Bola Tinubu had directed that the issue of repeated attacks on Nigerians in South Africa be addressed frankly and decisively.
The minister called on the South African authorities to take immediate and practical measures to halt what Nigeria described as recurring Afrophobic attacks against Nigerians and other African nationals.
He warned that the continued violence could undermine the long-standing relationship between Africa’s two biggest economies.
Enikanolaiye also recalled Nigeria’s role in supporting South Africa’s struggle against apartheid and highlighted the longstanding cooperation between both countries in the transition from the Organisation of African Unity to the African Union, as well as their joint efforts in advancing the New Partnership for Africa’s Development.
He further expressed concern over the repeated incidents of xenophobic violence, noting that attacks have been recorded since 1995, with subsequent outbreaks in 1998, 2006, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2021, 2024 and 2026.
More details to follow…
