By Tracy Moses
The House of Representatives on Thursday urged the Federal Government to summon South Africa’s High Commissioner to Nigeria over renewed xenophobic attacks and killings of Nigerians, while calling for a review of bilateral relations until adequate guarantees are provided for the safety of Nigerians living in the country.
The lawmakers also asked the Federal Government to demand an independent investigation into the recent killings, engage relevant regional and international bodies, and strengthen consular support for Nigerians in South Africa.
The resolutions followed the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance sponsored by Yusuf Gagdi (APC, Plateau) during plenary presided over by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu.
Moving the motion, Gagdi condemned what he described as recurring xenophobic attacks, extra-judicial killings, unlawful detention and the systematic persecution of Nigerians and other African nationals in South Africa.
He said recent reports indicated a fresh wave of attacks targeting Nigerians, as well as citizens of Ghana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Mozambique, Malawi and other African countries legally resident in South Africa.
The lawmaker noted that the Federal Government had confirmed the deaths of two Nigerians, including one who reportedly died in police custody and another who was allegedly murdered outside his business premises.
According to him, the incidents underscore the vulnerability of Nigerians despite repeated assurances by the South African government that foreign nationals would be protected.
Recalling Nigeria’s role in the struggle against apartheid, Gagdi said successive Nigerian governments invested significant diplomatic, financial and humanitarian resources in South Africa’s liberation.
“It is therefore profoundly disturbing that Nigerians and other Africans are now facing persecution, humiliation and violent attacks in the very country whose freedom Nigeria helped to secure,” he said.
He argued that previous diplomatic engagements had failed to halt the violence, saying:
“Xenophobic violence has become recurrent, systematic and increasingly deadly. The repeated attacks have continued despite previous assurances by the Government of South Africa that adequate measures would be taken to guarantee the safety of foreign nationals.