FG orders emergency response unit, warns Pretoria over harassment, killings, and rising anti-foreigner rhetoric

Nigeria has placed the evacuation of its citizens in South Africa at the top of its agenda following renewed xenophobic tensions and threats to foreign nationals.

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, said the Federal Government will not stand by while Nigerians face what she described as “systematic harassment, humiliation, and extra-judicial killings.”

During a phone call with South Africa’s Minister of International Relations, Ronald Lamola, Odumegwu-Ojukwu stressed that President Bola Tinubu has directed Nigerian missions in South Africa to immediately establish a Crisis Notification Unit to support distressed citizens.

“Our government cannot remain indifferent while our people are targeted,” she said, underscoring that Nigerians who wish to return home will be prioritised for evacuation.

The minister also urged South African authorities to take stronger action against perpetrators of violence, insisting that those responsible for attacks and killings must face swift consequences.

The diplomatic engagement follows recent anti-migrant protests, including a demonstration in Durban on May 6, 2026. Although heavy security presence prevented major violence, Nigerian authorities advised citizens to shut down businesses and stay indoors as a precaution.

Odumegwu-Ojukwu raised concerns over increasingly hostile rhetoric by anti-foreigner groups, warning that such sentiments pose a serious threat not only to Nigerians but to broader diplomatic and economic ties between both countries.

She further highlighted troubling reports of Nigerian children—and those of mixed Nigerian-South African heritage—being bullied in schools and told to “go back” to their country, describing the trend as deeply harmful and unacceptable.

In response, Lamola acknowledged the concerns and assured that South African authorities are working through relevant institutions to curb such behavior, particularly among schoolchildren.

Despite the tension, Nigeria noted that its citizens have shown restraint, even as officials continue to monitor the situation closely and prepare support measures for those seeking to return home.