Xenophobia: Reps To Probe Nigerians’ Losses In South Africa

The House of Representatives has resolved to investigate the losses, damages and casualties suffered; take inventory of property abandoned by Nigerians arising from previous and recent xenophobic attacks in the Republic of South Africa.

The House mandated the committees investigating to recommend appropriate diplomatic initiatives, legal mechanisms, and bilateral engagements to ensure accountability for perpetrators, enhance the protection of Nigerian residents in South Africa, and ensure the effective implementation of relevant international human rights obligations.

This followed the adoption of a motion moved by Hon. Babajimi Benson (APC, Lagos) at plenary on Tuesday.

Moving the motion, Benson noted that Nigeria remains one of the foremost architects of South Africa’s liberation, having committed enormous diplomatic, financial and political resources towards the dismantling of Apartheid.

He observed that, notwithstanding this historic relationship, Nigerians residing lawfully in the Republic of South Africa have, for nearly two decades, remained recurrent targets of xenophobic violence characterised by killings, mob attacks, physical assaults, arson, looting of businesses, destruction of properties, forced displacement, intimidation and hate campaigns principally directed at African migrants.

The lawmaker also stated that significant outbreaks of xenophobic violence were recorded in 2008, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021 and on several occasions thereafter, each resulting in renewed diplomatic tensions between both countries, and emergency evacuations of Nigerian citizens. and repeated assurances by the South African Government that adequate preventive measures would be implemented.

He noted that: “the recent resurgence of coordinated anti-foreigner campaigns and inflammatory rhetoric by groups such as Operation Dudula and similar organisations created widespread fear amongst Nigerian residents, with many reportedly abandoning homes, businesses and investments while seeking emergency evacuation following threats and unlawful ultimatums issued against foreign African nationals.

“Successive sessions of the National Assembly have, on several occasions, debated motions condemning xenophobic attacks against Nigerians in South Africa, expressed sympathy with victims and urged diplomatic engagement between both Governments, but none have culminated in a comprehensive legislative enquiry to establish the actual number of Nigerians killed, injured, displaced or the aggregate economic losses suffered by Nigerian citizens over the years.”

Benson expressed worry that every successive wave of xenophobic violence had been followed by public condemnation and diplomatic protests without a corresponding institutional effort to document the losses suffered by Nigerians comprehensively.

He said this denied the Federal Government and the National Assembly an authoritative evidential basis for policy formulation, legislative intervention and sustained diplomatic negotiations.

According to him, a comprehensive legislative enquiry has become imperative not merely to establish responsibility for the recent attacks but also to document the cumulative human, economic and social consequences of xenophobic violence against Nigerians in South Africa.

Adopting the motion, the House mandated its Committees on Diaspora, Foreign Affairs, Integration and Cooperation in Africa to conduct the investigation and report within four weeks for further legislative action.