President Bola Tinubu on Monday declined to receive a special envoy from South African President Cyril Ramaphosa as Nigeria stepped up diplomatic pressure over the renewed wave of xenophobic attacks targeting Nigerians and other African nationals in South Africa.
Instead of meeting the delegation personally, Tinubu directed South Africa’s Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola, to hold talks with the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye, who is expected to brief the President on the outcome of the meeting.
The move came as the Federal Government strongly condemned the recurring attacks, demanding urgent and concrete action from Pretoria to end what it described as a disturbing pattern of Afrophobic violence.
Presidential sources disclosed that the South African delegation arrived in Abuja on Friday with a message from President Ramaphosa but was unable to secure an audience with Tinubu.
According to one source, the President insisted that the delegation should first engage the Ministry of Foreign Affairs before any further consideration.
“They actually came here on Friday wanting to see the President, but there was no prior notice. On Monday, the President directed that they should meet the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, who would brief him afterwards,” the source said.
Another presidency official said Tinubu had no meeting scheduled with the delegation, while another source revealed that Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, currently attending official engagements in Addis Ababa, advised that it was inappropriate for the President to receive the envoys while attacks on Nigerians and their businesses were still ongoing.
Receiving the South African delegation in Abuja, Ambassador Enikanolaiye said Tinubu specifically mandated the meeting to explore practical solutions to the recurring attacks, warning that the long-standing relationship between Nigeria and South Africa should not be undermined by violence against African migrants.
He reminded Pretoria of Nigeria’s historic role in the struggle against apartheid and the close partnership both countries later built through the African Union and the New Partnership for Africa’s Development.
“It is with profound pleasure that I welcome our brothers from South Africa. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had actually asked us to meet with you and exchange views and perspectives on how to address and resolve the ongoing Afrophobic attacks in South Africa, of which Nigerians and other citizens of Africa have been victims,” he said.
Enikanolaiye expressed deep concern over what he described as a recurring cycle of attacks spanning more than three decades.
“We have seen a pattern emerge as early as 1995, 1998, 2006, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2021, 2024 and 2026.
“From 2022 alone, 98 Nigerians have died in mob actions and hate-related attacks that we have described as Afrophobia because Africans, particularly Nigerians, are the predominant victims,” he said.
While reiterating that Nigeria does not support criminality, the minister insisted that anyone accused of committing an offence must be prosecuted through lawful judicial processes rather than subjected to mob violence.
“The Nigerian government will not support drug peddlers, but what we are saying is that anyone accused of an offence should be treated in accordance with your constitution, international human rights instruments and the minimum requirements of humanity,” he said.
He also accused South African security agencies of failing to protect Nigerians during several attacks, saying the inaction raised serious questions about state responsibility.
“We have records of Nigerians who have a legitimate purpose to remain in South Africa, yet they have been attacked. We have seen instances where the police watched helplessly while mob attacks took place. That raises issues of state responsibility and possible complicity,” he added.
The minister recalled the humanitarian toll of previous attacks, revealing that Nigeria had evacuated nearly 1,500 citizens during earlier outbreaks of violence.
“I shed tears in the plane when I saw children, women and the elderly returning home with almost nothing. Some had their properties looted and destroyed,” he said.
The latest diplomatic row follows fresh xenophobic violence that erupted in April, forcing the Federal Government to approve evacuation flights for stranded Nigerians, with more than 1,000 citizens reportedly registering for voluntary repatriation.
Responding, Lamola said President Ramaphosa sent him to Abuja to reaffirm South Africa’s commitment against xenophobia, racism and all forms of discrimination.
“We have been outspoken against any intolerance, including xenophobia, racism, homophobia, violence and discrimination directed at individuals within our borders,” he said.
He, however, maintained that South Africa would continue enforcing its immigration laws and dealing firmly with undocumented migrants and criminal activities.
“President Ramaphosa has also been very firm on South Africa’s sovereign right to enforce immigration laws, including dealing decisively with irregular migration, undocumented immigrants and acts of criminality committed within our borders,” Lamola stated.
