Key points
- The Federal Government is pursuing compensation for Nigerians affected by recent attacks in South Africa.
- Nigeria and South Africa are strengthening diplomatic engagement to prevent further violence.
- Government has begun collecting data on property losses to support compensation claims.
- Additional funding is being explored to evacuate more Nigerians who wish to return home.
Main story
The Federal Government says it is pursuing compensation for Nigerians affected by recent attacks in South Africa while intensifying diplomatic efforts to prevent a recurrence of the violence.
Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Sola Enikanolaiye, disclosed this after briefing President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on developments following the President’s directive to receive South African President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Special Envoy and Foreign Minister, Ronald Lamola.
Enikanolaiye said he updated the President on commitments secured from the South African government, including the activation of an early warning mechanism and the Nigeria-South Africa Bi-National Commission to strengthen bilateral engagement.
He also briefed Tinubu on the evacuation of about 1,490 Nigerians from South Africa, noting that while many citizens had been successfully brought home, others still wished to return.
According to the minister, the government is exploring additional funding options to support further evacuation operations.
Enikanolaiye said the President agreed that the attacks should be viewed as “Afrophobic” rather than merely xenophobic and stressed the need for African countries to work together to end the violence.
He added that Tinubu’s relationship with President Ramaphosa would be leveraged to sustain diplomatic engagement aimed at protecting Nigerians living in South Africa.
On compensation, the minister said the government had introduced a data collection process to document losses suffered by affected Nigerians before presenting formal claims.
He explained that the information would help establish the extent of damage to properties and support Nigeria’s engagement with South African authorities.
Enikanolaiye said Nigeria would continue to prioritise dialogue but retained other options should diplomatic efforts fail to produce satisfactory outcomes.
He also maintained that every Nigerian, irrespective of immigration status, was entitled to legal protection and the right to life.
The issues
The latest diplomatic engagement underscores Nigeria’s efforts to protect its citizens abroad through dialogue while seeking accountability and compensation for victims of recurring attacks in South Africa.
What’s being said
“We have designed a form to be filled by all Nigerians who may have lost property in South Africa. We want to proceed on the basis of data and the quantum of losses they have suffered before tabling our claims.” — Sola Enikanolaiye, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs.
Bottom line
The Federal Government is combining diplomacy, data-driven compensation claims and evacuation efforts as it seeks lasting measures to protect Nigerians living in South Africa.
