The Federal Government is pursuing compensation for Nigerians who lost property in recent attacks in South Africa, even as it steps up diplomatic efforts to stop further violence.
Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Amb. Sola Enikanolaiye, disclosed this on Tuesday after briefing President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
He said the briefing followed Tinubu’s directive to receive South African President Cyril Ramaphosa’s special envoy and foreign minister, Ronald Lamola.
Enikanolaiye said he updated Tinubu on commitments secured from South Africa, including activating an early warning mechanism and the Nigeria-South Africa Bi-National Commission.
He also briefed the president on the evacuation of about 1,490 Nigerians following the attacks, and thanked him for releasing funds for the operation. Two of the evacuation batches were funded by private individuals, he said.
The government has evacuated many citizens, but some Nigerians still want to return home. Enikanolaiye said the FG is exploring additional funding to support further evacuations.
He said Tinubu agreed the attacks were “Afrophobic” rather than merely xenophobic, and called on African countries to confront the trend collectively.
“The President agreed with me that it is Afrophobic and that Africa must unite in ensuring that we put an end to this spiral of violence,” he said.
Enikanolaiye added that Tinubu’s relationship with Ramaphosa would be leveraged to push diplomatic engagement aimed at ending the attacks.
On compensation, he said the government has introduced a data collection process for Nigerians who lost property in the attacks.
“We have designed a form to be filled by all Nigerians who may have lost property in South Africa. We want to proceed on the basis of data and the quantum of losses they have suffered before tabling our claims,” the minister said.
He stressed that Nigeria would keep negotiating with South Africa while retaining other options should diplomacy fail.
“Nigeria has options. We are not helpless in this situation. We would prefer diplomacy and negotiations until we arrive at a mutually acceptable outcome,” he said.
Enikanolaiye maintained that every Nigerian deserves protection under the law regardless of immigration status.
“Whether they are regular or irregular, they are human beings. Criminals also have a right to life. You cannot hound and kill them because they are criminals,” he said.
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