Nigeria's National Assembly has suspended official visits to South Africa, pulling lawmakers out of legislative meetings, conferences and other activities organised or hosted by South African authorities. The decision, announced on Friday, September 11, followed consultations between the leadership of the Senate and the House of Representatives.
The suspension covers official trips by lawmakers, committees, officials and staff. It also applies to parliamentary meetings, conferences, seminars, workshops, legislative exchanges and other programmes hosted by South African legislative authorities, including virtual participation. No date has been given for the suspension to end.
Kamoru Ogunlana, Clerk to the National Assembly, said lawmakers were concerned by reports of Nigerians being killed, injured and displaced, as well as cases in which people were forced to abandon businesses, investments, homes and other property.
The boycott follows months of tension over anti-foreigner protests and violence in South Africa. In June, two Nigerians were killed amid the unrest. Nigeria's Foreign Ministry later raised the issue with South African officials, including during a July meeting between Nigeria's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye, and South Africa's Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola.
Between June and July, Nigeria evacuated 1,490 citizens from South Africa in a series of flights coordinated by the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other government agencies. Another 83 Nigerians were expected to return in August, after the government said the earlier repatriation programme had brought nearly 1,490 people home amid rising anti-foreigner sentiment.
For Nigerians living and doing business in South Africa, concerns about xenophobic violence have continued to
According to Pulse.ng.
