The Federal Government has summoned the acting South African High Commissioner to Nigeria, Bobby Moroe, over renewed xenophobic attacks targeting Nigerians and their businesses in South Africa.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs disclosed on Saturday that the envoy has been invited to a meeting scheduled for Monday at the ministry’s headquarters in Abuja, as diplomatic concerns mount over the safety of Nigerians in the former apartheid nation.
In a statement, the ministry’s Director of Public Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa, said the engagement is aimed at conveying Nigeria’s “profound concern” about the recent wave of violence, which threatens the long-standing bilateral relations between both countries.
He noted that discussions would centre on ongoing protests in parts of South Africa and reported cases of harassment, killings, and destruction of Nigerian-owned businesses.
“The objective of this engagement is to formally convey the Nigerian Government’s concern regarding recent events that have the potential to impact the established cordial relations between Nigeria and South Africa,” the statement read.
Ebienfa added that the government was closely monitoring the situation and acknowledged growing outrage among Nigerians over the treatment of their compatriots abroad.
Findings indicated that at least two Nigerians have been killed since tensions escalated last month, with several others reportedly attacked in different locations.
Amid the crisis, the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission had earlier called on South African authorities to ensure that perpetrators of the attacks are brought to justice.
The Federal Government, however, urged Nigerians to remain calm, assuring that diplomatic efforts were ongoing to safeguard the lives and property of citizens in South Africa.
The development comes as Ghana also summoned the South African acting High Commissioner in Accra over similar concerns, signalling increasing regional pressure on Pretoria to address the recurring xenophobic violence.
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