Nigeria Not Helpless Over South Africa Attacks- FG

The federal government has begun gathering evidence of property losses suffered by Nigerians during attacks in South Africa as part of efforts to pursue compensation for affected victims through diplomatic channels.

Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye, disclosed this to State House correspondents after briefing President Bola Tinubu on his assignment to receive the special envoy of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.

Enikanolaiye said the government had developed a Claims Form for Nigerians who lost valuables during the attacks, explaining that the documentation would provide the basis for lodging compensation claims with the South African authorities.

“In preparation for us lodging our claim, we have designed a form to be filled by all Nigerians who may have lost property in South Africa because we want to proceed on the basis of data and the quantum of losses they have suffered,” he said.

He noted that although the issue of compensation did not feature prominently during the latest engagement with the South African delegation, it had previously been a contentious aspect of discussions surrounding the early warning mechanism between the two countries.

The minister stressed that Nigeria’s engagement with South Africa was an ongoing process rather than a one-off meeting, adding that future discussions would provide an opportunity to table the claims and explore options for compensating affected Nigerians.

“We intend to meet going forward. We will be able to table those claims and see how we can explore options for compensation,” he said.

Enikanolaiye said he informed President Tinubu that Nigeria was not without options in responding to the attacks on its citizens, even as the government remained committed to diplomacy.

“I reported to the President that Nigeria has options, and the President agreed with me. We are not helpless in this situation. All options are still on the table, but we would prefer diplomacy and negotiations until we arrive at a mutually acceptable outcome that will protect Nigerian citizens, their lives and property in South Africa,” he said.

He maintained that Nigeria’s position was that every Nigerian deserved protection irrespective of immigration status.

“Whether they are regular or irregular, they are human beings. Criminals have a right to life. You cannot say because they are criminals and begin to hound and kill them. We made that very clear, and South Africa agreed with that position,” he stated.

The minister also briefed President Tinubu on the evacuation of about 1,490 Nigerians from South Africa, thanking the President for providing the resources that made the exercise possible.

According to him, two batches of the evacuation were funded by private individuals, while the government is exploring additional funding options to facilitate the return of more Nigerians who still wish to leave South Africa.

He further disclosed that discussions with the South African envoy produced commitments to accelerate the activation of the early warning mechanism and the Bi-National Commission between both countries.

Enikanolaiye added that both he and President Tinubu shared the view that the attacks should be described as Afrophobia rather than xenophobia, stressing the need for African countries to work together to end the violence directed at fellow Africans in South Africa.

He said Nigeria would continue to leverage President Tinubu’s relationship with President Ramaphosa to seek lasting solutions that would safeguard the lives and property of Nigerians living in South Africa.