​Abuja Weighs Sanctions Against Pretoria Over Xenophobic Attacks

​ABUJA — The Federal Government has warned it may review bilateral privileges and deploy diplomatic sanctions against South Africa following a devastating new wave of xenophobic violence targeting Nigerian nationals.

​Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, dropped the hint on Monday while briefing State House correspondents at the Presidential Villa after a crucial meeting with President Bola Tinubu. She made it clear that retaliatory gestures are being actively debated at the highest levels of government.

​”That is a situation that we are considering,” Odumegwu-Ojukwu stated when questioned about potential restrictions on South African interests in Nigeria. “This is up to our legislature. This is a decision that has to be taken at the highest level of government. But it is not off the table.”

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​A Deep Sense of Betrayal

​The Minister expressed Nigeria’s profound disappointment, invoking the deep historical sacrifices Nigeria made to dismantle the apartheid regime in South Africa between the 1960s and 1990s.

​”Nigeria is not happy because Nigeria has sacrificed much for the South African struggle for independence,” she said. “Nigeria sacrificed quite a lot, committed funds, committed resources to aid South Africa. In schools, seats were reserved for South African students. My own generation carried placards; we demonstrated in front of South African assets. Sometimes we even got arrested for doing this.”

​Odumegwu-Ojukwu pointed out the troubling underlying racial dynamics of the current unrest, noting, “They are not asking other migrants to leave; they’re only asking black migrants to leave.”

​Ground Realities and Fake Narratives

​The Minister strongly rejected assertions by some South African officials that the violence only impacts undocumented or illegal foreigners. She clarified that law-abiding Nigerian entrepreneurs, passport holders, and families are bearing the brunt of the hostility, which has already claimed the lives of two Nigerians—Amaramiro Emmanuel and Ekpenyong Andrew.

​According to the Minister:

• ​Targeted Looting: Legitimate businesses and shops owned by Nigerians have been systematically looted and set ablaze.

• ​Police Inaction: South African security agencies have reportedly stood by, refusing to intervene or robustly condemn the criminal acts.

• ​Intimidation: Nigerian children are facing severe intimidation, preventing them from attending school safely.

​Evacuation Plans and Delays

​The diplomatic fallout comes as over 1,000 Nigerians have stepped forward indicating their desire to be repatriated. President Bola Tinubu has already approved five Air Peace evacuation flights, alongside the establishment of a dedicated crisis response unit at the Nigerian consulate in Johannesburg and the mission in Pretoria.

​While the airlifting was originally anticipated to commence on Monday, June 8, the timeline has been slightly adjusted to accommodate rigorous joint document screening and verification procedures conducted alongside South African authorities. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs recently extended the screening window to ensure all logistics align seamlessly with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to facilitate rehabilitation support upon the returnees’ arrival.

​Escalating Diplomatic Tensions

​Relations between the two African economic powerhouses have rapidly deteriorated since late April 2026, when intense anti-immigration protests organized by groups like Operation Dudula sparked widespread violence across multiple South African provinces.

​Pretoria has openly voiced misgivings regarding Nigeria’s unilateral evacuation push. However, Odumegwu-Ojukwu revealed she held her ground during a tense phone conversation with South African Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola.

​”I maintained that our government cannot stand by and watch the systematic harassment and humiliation of our nationals… as well as the extrajudicial killings of our people,” she asserted.

​The Nigerian legislature is already moving toward punitive steps, with the House of Representatives previously recommending a temporary suspension of business permits for South African corporations operating locally. Concurrently, the Senate has resolved to send a high-level delegation led by Senate President Godswill Akpabio to Pretoria to formally confront the South African government over the ongoing crisis.