The Federal Government has assured Nigerians that it will not tolerate any action that undermines the safety of its citizens or threatens the country’s interests in South Africa as anti-immigration protests continue across the country.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Tuesday, June 30, Presidential Adviser on Foreign Affairs, Demola Oshodi, said the government has already taken steps to safeguard Nigerians and respond to the growing tensions.
“We will not accept any sort of humiliation or definitely any huge damages to our interests there. It’s just not possible,” Oshodi said.
“But I do assure you that we take the lives of Nigerians more seriously than even these investments that I’m talking about, and you can see that in the fact that the president has sent his ambassador there.”
Oshodi said the Tinubu administration is handling the situation through diplomacy rather than confrontation because of the long-standing economic and historical ties between both countries.
“The Tinubu government is really on top of things. I’ve said we’ve moved hundreds of the most vulnerable people out of South Africa,” he said. “We’ve escalated this to the South African government, and we are taking steps to do more.”
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He added, “There’s a lot of vested interest in both countries. There’s a lot of investments in both countries. We also have a history together. We have been the two largest economies in Africa. So it’s important we take things incrementally.”
“We don’t want to throw the baby out with the bathwater, as they say. So it’s watch and see what is going to happen today, the June 30th deadline they’ve given, and see how much the South African government is taking steps to protect our nationals.”
His comments came as another group of Nigerians arrived in Lagos on Tuesday under the Federal Government’s voluntary evacuation programme for citizens who chose to leave South Africa.
Meanwhile, anti-immigration demonstrations spread across several South African cities on Tuesday after groups demanding the removal of undocumented migrants reached their self-imposed June 30 deadline.
Police maintained a heavy presence during the protests, while isolated clashes, looting and arrests were reported in parts of Johannesburg. Authorities also deployed soldiers to Johannesburg and Durban overnight to strengthen security.
The latest unrest follows weeks of anti-immigration campaigns that have forced many foreign nationals, including Nigerians, to seek evacuation or return home voluntarily.
Renewed tensions have again raised concerns over the safety of African migrants living in South Africa and the diplomatic implications for relations between both countries.