… says ‘we can’t stand and watch’
Foreign Affairs Minister, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, says Nigerian government cannot stand by and watch the systematic harassment and humiliation of its nationals living in South Africa.
The Minister stated this during a phone conversation with South Africa Foreign Affairs Minister, Ronald Lamola, according to a statement she posted on her Facebook page.
She disclosed that the Nigerian government has prioritised the evacuation of citizens who want to return home from South Africa.
Bianca disclosed that President Bola Tinubu has directed that the Nigerian Missions in South Africa set up, with immediate effect, a Crisis Notification Unit for imperiled citizens.
The statement read, “This morning, I had a phone conversation with Hon Ronald Lamola, South Africa Foreign Affairs Minister who expressed concern and misgivings concerning the plans by the government of Nigeria to evacuate its citizens desirous of leaving the Republic of South Africa due to the recent xenophobic attacks and anti-foreigner sentiments openly expressed during continuing anti-migrant protests in South Africa, the latest of which took place in Durban, South Africa, yesterday 6th May 2026.
“I maintained that our Government cannot stand by and watch the systematic harassment and humiliation of our nationals resident in SA as well as the extra-judicial killings of our people, and that the evacuation of our citizens who want to return home remains our Government’s priority at this time.
“I also highlighted the need for their police and justice systems to take the cases on ground of extra-judicial killings of Nigerians in South Africa more seriously and that there should be clear and immediate consequences for such acts.
The Nigerian Foreign Affairs Minister noted that Wednesday’s protests in Durban did not record acts of violence as there was heavy security presence, but Nigerians were advised to close their shops and businesses and stay indoors by the Nigerian Mission.
The statement added, “Our discussions also centered on the violent and indiscriminate rhetoric and actions of South Africa’s anti-foreigner political parties which puts the lives and properties of Nigerian and other nationals at risk, but which conversely might also have the effect jeopardizing the safety of South African interests in Nigeria.
“Nigerians have exercised, and continue to demonstrate commendable restraint, in their response to the ongoing crisis.
“I also brought to his attention, having engaged with some of our Nationals resident with their families in South Africa, the unfortunate fact that Nigerian Children as well as children born of both Nigerian and South African parents (referred to as ‘Sougerians’) are being wrongfully bullied in schools and taunted to ‘return to their country’.
“This is reprehensible and capable of causing trauma to young minds for whom such incidents may remain etched in memory.”
On his part, Lamola said the South African authorities recognise that they have a responsibility to protect innocent children and they are “doing their utmost through education supervisory bodies to discourage these practices”.
