Federal Government Warns of African Union Intervention Over Anti-Immigrant Sentiment in South Africa

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Protesters gather as one of them waves a South African flag during a protest march against undocumented migrants in Springs, Ekurhuleni, on June 8, 2026. Hundreds of anti-migrant protesters marched through a township outside Johannesburg on June 8, 2026, a day after South African President Cyril Ramaphosa pledged action against groups accused of fuelling xenophobic violence. South Africa has seen recurring bouts of anti-migrant violence, with protests intensifying this year after vigilante groups ordered undocumented foreigners to leave by June 30. (Photo by EMMANUEL CROSET / AFP)

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By Dickson Omobola

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Federal Government, Thursday, disclosed that it was considering taking the issue of recurring xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in South Africa to the African Union, AU, to seek a permanent solution.

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Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Sola Enikanolaiye, said Africa, as a continent, must recognise the need to do more to protect the lives and property of residents in South Africa.

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Speaking on Prime Time, an Arise TV programme, Enikanolaiye lamented that through the recurring attacks on other African nationals, South Africa was undermining the continent’s solidarity and brotherhood.

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He said: “When you have thug leaders literally encouraging violence against other nationalities, that is totally unacceptable. We will be reminding them of their responsibility in this regard. We are going to do this at all levels of government, at our own level, at our level of officials, at the level of even Mr President, to be sure that Nigerians are not subjected to this kind of harassment going forward. We have also indicated that going forward to prevent this, we may have to escalate it to the African Union and get a more continental response to this, which is becoming an African challenge.

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“You cannot lay claim to African leadership when you take steps that undermine the solidarity and brotherhood of the continent of Africa. This is something Nigeria would not do. So, we are asking Africa to please see the need to do more to protect life and property of not just their own nationals, but also Nigerians and the rest of Africans that are residents in South Africa.”

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Meanwhile, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, NiDCOM, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Thursday, also expressed dissatisfaction over the situation, saying enough was enough.

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Speaking on Politics Today, a Channels TV programme, she said it was sad that such a thing was happening on the continent of Africa.

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She said: “It is terrible, disappointing and painful. But honestly, enough is enough. Enough really has to be enough. Their government is looking the other way. I think that is the sad part. Security is not arresting anybody.”

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