By Maryanne Awuya
In a firm response to renewed attacks on Nigerians in South Africa, the House of Representatives on Tuesday called for urgent diplomatic intervention and the repatriation of affected nationals.
The House further recommended a review of Nigeria’s bilateral relations with South Africa, suggesting that the operating permits of South African companies be suspended as a retaliatory measure.
The motion, moved by Rep. Donald Ojogo and seconded by Rep. Billy Osawaru, highlighted the systematic nature of the violence.
Consequently, the House urged the Tinubu administration to mobilize evacuation plans and pressured the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to hold South African authorities accountable for the safety of Nigerian citizens.
“The fresh xenophobic violence currently ravaging South Africa has reached an alarming rate to the extent that Nigerian nationals in that country are being selectively targeted,” he said.
He also informed the House that two Nigerians, Ekpenyong Andrew and Amaramiro Emmanuel, were killed in separate incidents linked to rising anti-foreigner tensions, allegedly involving South African security personnel.
“We are worried that Andrew was arrested on April 19, 2026, in Pretoria… His body was later discovered at the Pretoria Central Mortuary, while Emmanuel died from injuries sustained after being beaten by personnel of the South African National Defence Force on April 20, 2026,” Ojogo said.
According to him, the killings come amid escalating xenophobic hostility, with viral videos showing threats and attacks against foreign nationals, including Nigerians.
“The House is also disturbed that the targeted attacks against Nigerian nationals are a demonstration of ingratitude, especially taking into cognisance the roles of Nigeria in the struggle against apartheid in South Africa,” he added.
Seconding the motion, Osawaru warned that continued inaction could worsen the safety situation for Nigerians living in South Africa, urging urgent government intervention.
Following deliberations, the House mandated its Committee on Foreign Affairs and other relevant committees to work with the Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria to establish a 24-hour emergency response desk and a legal aid fund for affected citizens.
The lawmakers also urged the Federal Government to develop and publicise a comprehensive evacuation contingency plan for Nigerians in volatile areas, including financial and logistical support for those willing to return home.
They further directed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to summon the South African High Commissioner to Nigeria to formally protest the attacks and demand concrete, time-bound guarantees for the safety of Nigerians.
The House also called for a review of all bilateral agreements with South Africa, including trade and aviation treaties, and proposed temporary suspension of business permits for new South African companies, alongside a review of tax incentives granted to existing firms, pending measurable action to halt the attacks and prosecute perpetrators.
Persecondnews reports that Xenophobic violence in South Africa has remained a recurring diplomatic flashpoint, with major outbreaks in 2008, 2015 and 2019, often targeting African migrants, including Nigerians, and triggering evacuations and diplomatic protests from Abuja.
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