The Federal Government has commenced efforts to secure compensation for Nigerians who suffered losses during the recent attacks in South Africa while intensifying diplomatic engagement with the South African government to prevent a recurrence, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Sola Enikanolaiye has said.
According to Mr Enikanolaiye, the government has introduced a data collection exercise to document the losses incurred by affected Nigerians as part of preparations for compensation claims.
“We have designed a form to be filled by all Nigerians who may have lost property in South Africa. We want to proceed on the basis of data and the quantum of losses they have suffered before tabling our compensation claims,” the minister said.
He explained that while Nigeria remained committed to dialogue with South Africa, the country would not rule out other measures if negotiations failed to produce the desired outcome.
“Nigeria has options. We are not helpless in this situation. We would prefer diplomacy and negotiations until we arrive at a mutually acceptable outcome,” he said.
The deputy minister also reaffirmed that all Nigerians, irrespective of their immigration status, are entitled to legal protection and should not be subjected to violence.
“Whether they are regular or irregular, they are human beings. Criminals also have a right to life. You cannot hound and kill them because they are criminals,” he said.
Mr Enikanolaiye made the remarks on Tuesday after briefing President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. The meeting followed the president’s directive that he receive South African President Cyril Ramaphosa’s special envoy and foreign minister, Ronald Lamola.
During the briefing, the minister informed President Tinubu of commitments obtained from the South African government, including the activation of an early warning mechanism and the Nigeria-South Africa Bi-National Commission. He also reported that about 1,490 Nigerians had been evacuated from South Africa in the aftermath of the attacks.
“I thanked him for making the resources available. I also told him that two of the evacuation batches were funded by private individuals,” he said.
Mr Enikanolaiye noted that although many Nigerians had already been evacuated, some citizens still wished to return home. He added that the government was considering additional funding sources to facilitate further evacuation efforts.
The deputy minister said President Tinubu shared his view that the attacks should be described as “Afrophobic” rather than simply xenophobic, stressing the need for a united African response to the violence.
“The president agreed with me that it is Afrophobic and that Africa must unite in ensuring that we put an end to this spiral of violence,” he said.
He added that President Tinubu’s cordial relationship with President Ramaphosa would be used to strengthen ongoing diplomatic efforts aimed at ending the attacks on Nigerians and other Africans in South Africa.
