Ningi Urges FG to Cut Diplomatic Ties with South Africa Over Renewed Xenophobic Attacks

Fresh calls for a tougher diplomatic response to recurring xenophobic attacks in South Africa have emerged, with Senator Abdul Ningi urging the Federal Government to immediately suspend diplomatic relations with the Southern African nation.

The senator, who represents Bauchi Central Senatorial District, made the appeal amid renewed violence targeting foreign nationals, including Nigerians, in several parts of South Africa. His remarks followed reports of attacks that have heightened tensions between the two countries and sparked widespread concern across the African continent.

Ningi argued that Nigeria had invested enormous political, diplomatic and financial support in South Africa’s struggle against apartheid and should not continue to tolerate repeated attacks on its citizens.

According to him, the continued killings and harassment of Nigerians living in South Africa demand a decisive response rather than routine diplomatic protests. He maintained that severing diplomatic relations would send a strong message that the safety and dignity of Nigerian citizens must be respected.

His comments come after the Nigerian government condemned the deaths of two Nigerians during the recent wave of anti-migrant violence in South Africa. The Federal Government warned that it could consider stronger measures if attacks against its citizens persist, while calling on South African authorities to ensure justice and improve the protection of foreign nationals.

The recent unrest has been linked to growing anti-immigrant demonstrations across South Africa, where some groups accuse foreign nationals of contributing to unemployment and crime. Although many of the protests have been peaceful, several incidents have reportedly turned violent, forcing thousands of migrants to flee affected communities.

South African authorities have rejected suggestions that the government condones xenophobic violence, insisting that law enforcement agencies are investigating reported incidents. The country’s leadership has also pledged continued efforts to address tensions surrounding migration while maintaining that South Africans are not inherently xenophobic.

Nigeria and South Africa, Africa’s two largest economies, have maintained complex diplomatic relations for decades, with periodic strains arising from repeated xenophobic attacks on Nigerians and other African migrants living in South Africa. The latest developments have once again reignited calls within Nigeria for stronger diplomatic and economic measures to protect its citizens abroad.