FREETOWN, SIERRA LEONE — President Bola Tinubu has launched a scathing critique against the recurring wave of xenophobic and anti-immigrant violence targeting foreign nationals in South Africa, declaring the development as completely intolerable.
Speaking on Sunday at the 69th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government held in Freetown, Sierra Leone, President Tinubu argued that Pretoria must be reminded of the heavy sacrifices and invaluable liberation support rendered by fellow African nations—including Nigeria—during its struggle against apartheid.
Represented at the high-level regional summit by Vice President Kashim Shettima, the Nigerian leader emphasized that the West African bloc must present a unified, unyielding voice against what he termed “afro-phobic” attacks. He urged the assembly to formally table the matter before the upcoming session of the African Union (AU) Authority of Heads of State and Government.
A Call for Continental Action
”Nigeria condemns, in the strongest terms, the recent attacks on its citizens and other Africans in the Republic of South Africa,” Tinubu stated.
”As already stated by His Excellency, the President of Ghana, ECOWAS should present a united voice in this condemnation and table the matter before the next session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the African Union. This would send a clear message that this type of intolerance is totally unacceptable under any guise.”
The President stressed that modern South Africa owes its foundational freedom and sovereignty to the collective blood, resources, and diplomatic stamina exerted by the wider African continent, making the current climate of hostility against African immigrants a historic contradiction.
Evacuation Efforts and Government Response
Addressing the gravity of the humanitarian fallout, Tinubu disclosed that the Federal Government has taken proactive measures to safeguard its diaspora, successfully evacuating over 1,490 Nigerian citizens from harm’s way across seven emergency batches. He maintained that while Abuja remains prepared to engage further on diplomatic channels to resolve the crisis, the safety and dignity of Africans anywhere on the continent remain non-negotiable.
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Beyond the crisis in South Africa, the Nigerian leader used the ECOWAS platform to reaffirm the nation’s unwavering commitment to the newly developed ECOWAS Compact for the Future of Regional Integration. He noted that the framework is critical to rebuilding trust between citizens and public institutions, bolstering regional security, and addressing the root causes of civil discontent across West Africa.
