Xenophobic attacks: N’assembly suspends all legislative engagements with South Africa

Nigeria’s National Assembly has suspended all official visits to South Africa and directed lawmakers and officials to boycott legislative activities organised by or held in the country, citing persistent xenophobic attacks against Nigerians, according to a statement signed by Clerk Kamoru Ogunlana.

The legislature said it was “gravely concerned” by reports of Nigerians being “killed, injured, displaced and forced to abandon their businesses, investments, homes and other properties” in recurring violent attacks, as reported by TheCable.

Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Sola Enikanolaiye had in July disclosed that official records showed 98 Nigerians had been killed in mob and hate-related attacks in South Africa since 2022.

The National Assembly clarified that the decision was not intended to damage the “longstanding historical, diplomatic and people-to-people relations” between both nations.