Falana Petitions African Rights Commission Over Xenophobic Attacks In South Africa

Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana, has petitioned the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) over the continued xenophobic attacks against Nigerians and other African nationals in South Africa.

Falana, in the petition, urged the commission to urgently intervene and refer the matter to the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights for binding adjudication.

The senior lawyer said the recurring attacks on foreigners in South Africa were not isolated incidents but evidence of a systemic failure by authorities to protect foreign nationals living in the country.

He also criticised comments allegedly made by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, accusing him of asking foreigners to respect the traditions of the country instead of directly addressing the attacks.

According to the petition, there has been a persistent pattern of xenophobic violence, intimidation and discrimination targeting Nigerians and other African nationals in South Africa.

Falana said the attacks had involved killings, assaults, arbitrary arrests, torture, looting of businesses, forced displacement and threats to personal safety.

He cited recent incidents involving two Nigerian nationals, Amaramiro Emmanuel and Ekpenyong Andrew, who reportedly died in separate encounters involving personnel of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) in April 2026.

According to him, Andrew allegedly died after being arrested in Pretoria following an altercation with law enforcement officials, while Emmanuel reportedly died from injuries inflicted by security personnel.

Falana said the incidents had caused widespread concern among Nigerians living in South Africa and raised serious questions over the conduct and accountability of state actors.

The petition also referenced recent viral videos allegedly showing groups of South Africans attacking black foreign nationals and demanding that they leave the country.

Falana said some victims were beaten with sticks, harassed and subjected to degrading treatment accompanied by inflammatory anti-foreigner rhetoric.

He noted that the incidents were reported in several locations, including Gauteng Province, Durban, Cape Town, East London, KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape.

The lawyer further stated that diplomatic missions, including the Nigerian High Commission, had issued security advisories warning citizens about planned protests and violent demonstrations targeting foreign nationals.

He added that other African countries, including Ghana, had also expressed concerns over the safety of their citizens in South Africa.

Falana urged the African Commission to carry out a thorough and independent investigation into the attacks and place the matter before the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union.

He also called on the South African government to ensure accountability for perpetrators, strengthen protection mechanisms for foreign nationals and address the structural causes of xenophobic violence and discrimination.