By Kingston Magare 7.5.2026
Nigeria’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, said Thursday that the continued harassment and humiliation of Nigerians living in South Africa is unacceptable.
There were protests on Wednesday by South Africans who want Nigerians and other African nationals out of their country. Many Nigerians and their children were forced to lock themselves in their homes to avoid being caught in violent attacks on the streets.
Odemegwu-Ojukwu said in a statement after speaking with her South African counterpart Ronald Lamola, that following the attacks and intimidations, President Bola Tinubu has directed the Nigerian missions in South Africa to open their offices to help Nigerians endangered by the crisis.
“This morning, I had a phone conversation with Hon Ronald Lamola, South Africa Foreign Affairs Minister who expressed concern and misgivings concerning the plans by the government of Nigeria to evacuate its citizens desirous of leaving the Republic of South Africa due to the recent xenophobic attacks and anti-foreigner sentiments openly expressed during continuing anti-migrant protests in South Africa, the latest of which took place in Durban, South Africa, yesterday 6th May 2026,” said the statement posted on her Facebook social media platform.
“I maintained that our government cannot stand by and watch the systematic harassment and humiliation of our nationals resident in SA as well as the extra-judicial killings of our people, and that the evacuation of our citizens who want to return home remains our government’s priority at this time.
“I also highlighted the need for their police and justice systems to take the cases on ground of extra-judicial killings of Nigerians in South Africa more seriously and that there should be clear and immediate consequences for such acts.”
She also highlighted the bullying of Nigerian kids born in South Africa.
On his part, Lamola said the South African authorities recognise that they have a responsibility to protect innocent children and they are “doing their utmost through education supervisory bodies to discourage these practices.”
