Abuja, Nigeria – The Nigerian parliament has suspended official visits to South Africa and ordered lawmakers to boycott legislative activities hosted or organized by South African institutions, following reports of attacks targeting Nigerians and other African migrants.
Concerns about the safety of Nigerians
The decision reflects growing concern in Nigeria about the safety of its citizens in South Africa, amid continuing tensions between the two countries over xenophobic violence.
The Nigerian Minister of State for Foreign Affairs said that 98 Nigerians have died in incidents of mob violence and xenophobic attacks in South Africa since 2022.
Evacuation of approximately 1700 Nigerians
The acting Nigerian High Commissioner in Pretoria stated that 1,695 Nigerians had been voluntarily evacuated from South Africa this year, amid tensions related to xenophobic sentiment.
The directive, announced by a spokesperson for the Nigerian parliament, prohibits MPs from officially traveling to South Africa and participating in meetings and activities hosted or organized by South African institutions, until further notice.
The decision does not include government visits.
Nigerian House of Representatives spokesman Akin Rotemi explained that the resolution represents a strong expression of concern for the safety, dignity and well-being of Nigerians living in South Africa and conducting legitimate business there.
He stressed that the directive does not include government visits and meetings, which keeps official communication channels between the two countries open, despite the growing tension over reported attacks against Nigerians and African migrants.
