Reported by Afilawos Magana Sur, Managing Editor | Journalist at Sele Media Africa.
ABUJA, Nigeria — Former Nigerian Minister of Education and prominent Pan-African advocate Oby Ezekwesili has publicly called on President Bola Tinubu to immediately return to Nigeria and cancel all remaining official foreign engagements to address the escalating crisis of targeted attacks and killings of Nigerian nationals in South Africa. In a strongly worded statement issued on 4 May 2026, Ezekwesili demanded urgent presidential intervention, warning that the continued loss of Nigerian lives abroad without a decisive government response constitutes a failure of sovereign responsibility.
The demand comes amid a fresh wave of violence against Nigerian immigrants and business owners in several South African provinces, including Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal, where at least seven Nigerian nationals have been killed in the past 10 days, according to verified reports from the Nigerian Union in South Africa (NUSA). The attacks, which have included looting of Nigerian-owned shops and arson, have reignited long-standing diplomatic tensions between Africa’s two largest economies.
Ezekwesili’s Direct Appeal to President Tinubu
Ezekwesili, who served as Nigeria’s Minister of Education from 2006 to 2007 and is a co-founder of the #BringBackOurGirls movement, did not mince words in her public statement. She accused the Tinubu administration of treating the crisis with “alarming indifference” and called for an immediate shift from diplomatic statements to concrete action.
“President Tinubu must return home now, cancel all remaining foreign trips, and convene an emergency session of the National Security Council to address the systematic attacks on Nigerians in South Africa,” Ezekwesili declared. “The blood of our citizens is not cheap. A president who cannot protect his own people abroad has no business travelling the world for photo opportunities.”
She specifically referenced the 4 May 2026 killing of a 34-year-old Nigerian businessman, Chinedu Okafor, in Johannesburg’s Alexandra township, who was reportedly dragged from his shop and beaten to death by a mob. Okafor’s death is the latest in a series of attacks that have left the Nigerian diaspora in South Africa in a state of fear.
Verified Facts: The Attacks on Nigerians in South Africa
According to the Nigerian Union in South Africa (NUSA), which represents the estimated 800,000 Nigerians living in the country, the attacks began escalating on 25 April 2026, following a local dispute in Soweto that was amplified by anti-immigrant rhetoric on social media platforms. Since then, NUSA has documented:
- Seven confirmed deaths of Nigerian nationals between 25 April and 4 May 2026.
- At least 23 Nigerian-owned businesses looted or burned in Johannesburg, Pretoria, and Durban.
- Over 200 Nigerians displaced from their homes and seeking refuge at the Nigerian Consulate in Johannesburg.
- Multiple reports of South African police failing to intervene during attacks, with victims alleging complicity by some officers.
The South African government, through its Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO), has condemned the attacks and promised investigations. However, Nigerian victims and community leaders accuse Pretoria of a pattern of inaction that emboldens perpetrators.
Historical Context: A Recurring Crisis
The current crisis is not an isolated incident. It is the latest in a series of violent outbreaks against African immigrants in South Africa, which have occurred cyclically since at least 2008. In 2019, similar attacks led to a diplomatic row that saw Nigeria recall its ambassador and suspend flights by South African airline Airlink. The 2019 crisis also prompted emergency talks between then-President Muhammadu Buhari and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Analysts note that the violence is rooted in deep-seated socio-economic frustrations in South Africa, where unemployment exceeds 32 percent and competition for informal sector jobs is fierce. Anti-immigrant rhetoric, often directed at Nigerians and other African nationals, has been weaponised by local politicians and community leaders seeking scapegoats for the country’s economic challenges.
Dr. Adebayo Olukoshi, a political economist and former director of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), told Sele Media Africa: “The targeting of Nigerians in South Africa is a symptom of a broader failure of post-apartheid economic transformation. Until South Africa addresses its structural inequality and unemployment, xenophobic violence will remain a recurring feature.”
Reactions: Nigerian Government Under Pressure
The Nigerian government has so far responded through its Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which issued a statement on 3 May 2026 condemning the attacks and urging South African authorities to protect Nigerian lives and property. The ministry also said it had summoned the South African High Commissioner to Nigeria for a diplomatic protest.
However, critics argue that these measures are insufficient. The Nigerian Senate, in a rare bipartisan move, passed a resolution on 4 May 2026 calling on President Tinubu to personally intervene. Senator Adams Oshiomhole, representing Edo North, said on the floor of the Senate: “We cannot continue to lose our citizens while our president is abroad attending summits. This is a national emergency.”
The House of Representatives has also mandated its Committee on Diaspora Affairs to investigate the attacks and report back within two weeks. Committee Chairman Hon. Rita Orji described the situation as “a stain on Nigeria’s sovereignty.”
South African Government Response
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa’s office released a statement on 4 May 2026 condemning “all forms of violence and criminality” and assuring that law enforcement agencies have been directed to arrest perpetrators. The statement also reaffirmed South Africa’s commitment to the African Union’s principles of free movement and fraternity among African peoples.
However, human rights organisations have questioned the sincerity of these assurances. Amnesty International South Africa noted in a press release that “despite repeated promises, South African authorities have consistently failed to prosecute perpetrators of xenophobic violence, creating a culture of impunity.”
Legal and Institutional Frameworks
The attacks on Nigerian nationals violate several legal instruments, including:
- The African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, which guarantees the right to life and security for all persons within signatory states.
- The Protocol to the Treaty Establishing the African Economic Community Relating to Free Movement of Persons, which Nigeria and South Africa have both signed.
- South Africa’s own Constitution, which guarantees the right to life, dignity, and freedom from discrimination.
Legal experts argue that the Nigerian government could pursue diplomatic remedies through the African Union’s Peace and Security Council or even the International Court of Justice (ICJ) if South Africa fails to act. However, such measures are rarely invoked between AU member states.
Pan-African and Global Significance
The crisis between Nigeria and South Africa carries profound implications for the entire African continent. As the two largest economies in Africa, accounting for nearly 40 percent of the continent’s GDP combined, their bilateral relationship sets the tone for regional integration and cooperation under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
If Nigeria and South Africa fail to manage this crisis effectively, it could undermine trust in the AfCFTA, which depends on the free movement of people and goods across borders. Already, Nigerian business associations in Ghana, Kenya, and Uganda have expressed solidarity with victims in South Africa, warning that similar attacks could spread if left unchecked.
Dr. Mzukisi Qobo, a professor of international relations at the University of Johannesburg, told Sele Media Africa: “This is not just a Nigeria-South Africa problem. It is a test of whether African leaders are serious about Pan-Africanism. If we cannot protect each other’s citizens, what is the point of a continental free trade area?”
What Happens Next
As of 4 May 2026, President Tinubu is reported to be in Paris, France, attending a Franco-African economic summit scheduled to conclude on 6 May. His office has not yet responded to Ezekwesili’s demand for an immediate return. However, sources within the presidency, speaking on condition of anonymity, indicated that the president is “closely monitoring the situation” and may cut his trip short if the violence continues.
The Nigerian Union in South Africa has called for an emergency meeting with the Nigerian High Commissioner to South Africa, Ambassador Ahmed Rufai Abubakar, scheduled for 5 May 2026. The union has also advised Nigerian nationals in South Africa to “stay indoors and avoid non-essential travel” until security improves.
The African Union Commission, under Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat, has offered to mediate between the two governments, but no formal request has been made by either side.
The Stakes for Africa
The outcome of this crisis will send a signal to the rest of the world about Africa’s ability to manage its own internal conflicts without external intervention. If Nigeria and South Africa can resolve this through diplomacy and mutual accountability, it will strengthen the case for African solutions to African problems. If they fail, it will embolden xenophobic elements across the continent and weaken the Pan-African project.
Ezekwesili’s call for President Tinubu to return home is not merely a political demand. It is a moral imperative that resonates with millions of Nigerians and Africans who believe that a leader’s first duty is to protect his people—whether they are at home or abroad.
SOURCES
- Oby Ezekwesili – Public statement issued on 4 May 2026 via her official X (formerly Twitter) account.
- Nigerian Union in South Africa (NUSA) – Press briefing and incident report, 4 May 2026.
- Nigerian Senate – Resolution passed on 4 May 2026, as reported by the Senate Press Corps.
- South African Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) – Official statement, 4 May 2026.
- Amnesty International South Africa – Press release, 3 May 2026.
- Dr. Adebayo Olukoshi – Interview with Sele Media Africa, 4 May 2026.
- Dr. Mzukisi Qobo – Interview with Sele Media Africa, 4 May 2026.
- Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Statement issued on 3 May 2026.
- African Union Commission – Statement of offer to mediate, 4 May 2026.
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