Nigeria's Foreign Affairs Minister Addresses Xenophobia in SA

Bianca Odumegwu Ojukwu, the Nigerian Foreign Affairs Minister, has publicly addressed the recent xenophobic attacks against Nigerians in South Africa. In a telephone conversation with South Africa's Foreign Affairs Minister, Ronald Lamola, she stated that the Nigerian government will not allow its citizens to face harassment and humiliation.

Ojukwu revealed that President Bola Tinubu has directed the Nigerian mission in South Africa to establish a crisis notification unit to support Nigerians in distress. She expressed concerns about the safety of Nigerian children, particularly those of mixed Nigerian-South African parentage, who are reportedly facing bullying in schools.

Ojukwu emphasized the need for South African authorities to treat incidents involving attacks on Nigerians seriously and ensure swift justice for victims. Although recent protests in Durban did not escalate into violence due to heavy security presence, she warned that inflammatory rhetoric from anti-foreign political groups poses a danger to Nigerians living in South Africa.