By: Sunday Ameh
The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission has defended Nigeria’s continued diplomatic engagement with South Africa over recurring xenophobic attacks on Nigerians, insisting that dialogue remains the most viable path to resolving the crisis despite repeated killings and violence.
Speaking on Frontline, a current affairs programme on Eagle 102.5 FM, Ilese-Ijebu, the Director of Media, Public Relations and Protocol of NIDCOM, Abdulrahman Balogun, acknowledged growing frustration over the persistent attacks but maintained that diplomacy could not be abandoned.
“There is no end to diplomacy. We’ll continue to discuss it,” Balogun stated during the programme.
He described the attacks on Nigerians in South Africa as “quite appalling” and “very unfortunate,” noting that incidents of xenophobic violence had persisted intermittently since the post-apartheid era in 1994.
According to him, successive Nigerian governments have explored several diplomatic channels aimed at securing lasting protection for Nigerians living in South Africa.
Balogun recalled that previous interventions included high-level diplomatic visits, parliamentary engagements, and meetings involving the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and South African authorities.
He specifically referenced delegations led by former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, as well as bilateral discussions between both countries.
The NIDCOM spokesman also revealed that Nigeria had recorded over 100 deaths of its citizens in South Africa since 2019.
“Since we came on board in 2019, we must have recorded over 100 Nigerians killed in all kinds of attacks in South Africa,” he said.
Balogun, however, clarified that the latest unrest involved fewer confirmed deaths but stressed that the recurring pattern of attacks remained deeply troubling.
On calls for retaliatory measures against South Africa, including sanctions and business restrictions suggested by some political figures, Balogun warned that such actions could negatively affect Nigeria’s economy.
He noted that several multinational companies operate across both countries and cautioned against measures that could hurt Nigerian businesses and workers.
“If you shut it down, Nigeria will be more affected and we will hurt ourselves economically, even here in Nigeria,” he added.
Balogun further criticised what he described as weak political will in South Africa to prosecute perpetrators of xenophobic attacks.
“I am not aware of any single case where perpetrators have been punished or reprimanded for that unfortunate behaviour,” he stated.
He disclosed that diplomatic engagements were still ongoing at multiple levels, including recent discussions between Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and the South African High Commission in Abuja.
According to him, Nigeria’s demands include proper investigation of attacks, prosecution of offenders, improved protection for Nigerians, and full implementation of existing bilateral agreements between both nations.
On evacuation efforts, Balogun confirmed that about 130 Nigerians had registered for voluntary return following the renewed unrest.
He explained that most affected Nigerians were informal sector workers, including traders, artisans, and service providers.
“Those are the people that are majorly affected,” he said.
Balogun noted that evacuation exercises remained voluntary and were coordinated through Nigeria’s diplomatic mission in South Africa, similar to previous evacuations from crisis zones such as Sudan, Libya, Ukraine, and Lebanon.
Despite mounting criticism over the effectiveness of diplomacy, the NIDCOM spokesman insisted that Nigeria would continue to prioritise negotiation, regional diplomacy, and institutional cooperation over confrontation in addressing the recurring crisis.
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