By Steven Atokolo
The Senate on Tuesday strongly condemned the ongoing xenophobic attacks, persecution, and intimidation of Nigerians in South Africa and Ghana, describing the incidents as barbaric, unlawful, and contrary to the spirit of African brotherhood.
The condemnation followed a motion of urgent national importance sponsored by Senator Aniekan Akpan (Akwa Ibom North East) and co-sponsored by Senator Osita Izunaso (Imo West) during plenary. The motion expressed concern over what lawmakers described as an atmosphere of fear, humiliation, and psychological trauma, where Nigerians are increasingly profiled and treated as though their nationality alone constitutes an offence.
Lawmakers noted that the South African government had publicly acknowledged the incidents and pledged to restore order, a development the Senate said confirms the gravity and current relevance of the attacks.
Recalling Nigeria’s role in South Africa’s liberation struggle, Senator Victor Umeh (Anambra Central) stated that Nigerians—including workers, students, civil servants, and market women—played a significant role from the 1960s through the 1990s, sacrificing financial resources and diplomatic goodwill for the liberation and dignity of South Africans.
The Senate maintained that the attacks violate international human rights principles and contravene Economic Community of West African States protocols on free movement, the African Union Charter, and other regional agreements guaranteeing dignity and protection for all persons.
“These attacks offend the conscience of civilized nations,” the Senate resolution stated, adding that no individual, whether in authority or otherwise, is above the law, and no citizen is beneath its protection.
Senators decried the devastating effects of the recurring violence, citing loss of lives, destruction of businesses built over decades, displacement of families including children and the elderly, severe psychological trauma, and erosion of dignity and security.
Despite repeated diplomatic assurances from host countries, the Senate lamented what it described as the absence of accountability, visible deterrence, prosecution of perpetrators, and sustainable guarantees for victims, warning that such failures only encourage further acts of xenophobic violence.
The chamber warned that if left unchecked, the attacks could trigger retaliatory tensions, diplomatic strain, regional instability, and a deterioration of inter-African relations, undermining continental unity.
In its six-point resolution, the Senate urged the Federal Government to immediately initiate high-level diplomatic engagement with South Africa and Ghana to ensure the protection of Nigerians and secure enforceable guarantees against future attacks.
It also called for a full, transparent, credible, and independent investigation into all reported incidents, insisting that those responsible, including their sponsors, must be identified, arrested, prosecuted, and punished.
The Senate further requested the Federal Government to establish a comprehensive protection framework for Nigerians in the diaspora, including early warning systems, diaspora displacement coordination centres, enhanced legal and diplomatic support structures, and clearly defined evacuation protocols.
Lawmakers also advocated stronger regional enforcement and accountability mechanisms within ECOWAS and the African Union to deter xenophobia through diplomatic and legal action aimed at protecting African citizens across borders.
For affected victims, the Senate sought emergency humanitarian support, temporary shelters, evacuation assistance where necessary, legal representation, trauma counselling services, and real-time communication and protection channels through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and relevant agencies.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio, while referring the matter, directed the committee, chaired by Senator Akpan, to engage with affected Nigerians, interface with diplomatic missions and international partners, and report its findings back to the Senate.
