South African Acting High Commissioner to Nigeria, Lesoli Machele, has exonerated the government from persistent xenophobic attacks on non-citizens, including Nigerians.

This did little to stop the planned probe into the killing of Nigerians in Mandiba’s country and its moves to repatriate citizens willing to return home before the attacks could escalate.

Also, it did not stop Kenya from advising its nationals in South Africa to exercise caution and avoid protest areas amid rising tensions.

Meanwhile, the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) expressed concern about the persistent pattern of foreign travel by President Bola Tinubu, describing the trend as economically wasteful, strategically questionable, and dangerously disconnected from the urgent realities confronting Nigerians at home.

Also, former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili, urged the President to cut short his ongoing foreign visits to France, Kenya and Rwanda to address the attacks on Nigerians in South Africa.

To quell the rising xenophobic tensions, Africa Development Studies Centre (ADSC) has outlined a set of strategic measures Nigeria can adopt, urging a shift from reactive consular actions to sustained diplomatic and policy engagement.

Speaking yesterday during a meeting with the Federal Government, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Dunoma Ahmed, the High Commissioner held that the protests and killings had never received the government’s nod, noting that the federal Government’s position would be conveyed to Pretoria, immediately.

She also assured that all the issues raised at the meeting would be addressed to forestall lasting peace between Nigeria and South Africa.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian government has called for a thorough and impartial investigation into the deaths of Nnaemeka Matthew, Andrew Ekpeyong and Kelvin Amaramiro, as a result of injuries sustained while in the custody of South African security agencies.

It also demanded prompt sharing of preliminary findings and regular updates with Nigerian authorities, as well as full cooperation in providing autopsy reports, post-mortem documentation, and relevant case files, while facilitating access to legal processes.

‎THE Kenya High Commission in Pretoria, yesterday, issued an advisory urging Kenyans residing in South Africa to remain vigilant following recent demonstrations and isolated incidents affecting foreign nationals. It warned citizens to steer clear of protest zones, to carry valid identification at all times, and to comply with directives from local authorities.
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The mission encouraged Kenyans to promptly report any emergency to the South African Police Service and to request assistance, assuring nationals of continued consular support.

HURIWA particularly expressed shock that the leader of a country facing horrendous attacks from terrorists and bandits and hundreds of citizens held as hostages of Islamic rebels in parts of North-East and North-Central, left to spend two weeks gallivanting around Africa and Europe for less fancied and irrelevant functions, instead of staying back to lead the counter-terrorism war from the frontlines.

It questioned the policy logic and cost-benefit value of the President’s repeated overseas trips, concrete investments secured, and binding agreements that translated into jobs, infrastructure or economic relief.

He stated: “How many of these diplomatic outings have yielded measurable outcomes capable of justifying the enormous expenditure of public funds? Did Tinubu not spend days in South Africa? Why are Nigerian citizens being attacked and killed by Black South African government?”

According to HURIWA, there is a perception that Nigeria is gradually being governed from abroad while critical domestic challenges worsen.

In light of the foregoing, HURIWA called on Tinubu to immediately recalibrate his approach to governance by drastically reducing non-essential foreign trips and redirecting his energy towards resolving Nigeria’s pressing internal crises.
EZEKWESILI, in a post yesterday on her X account addressed to Tinubu, described the President’s decision to embark on a three-nation trip amid reported attacks on Nigerians in South Africa as a total absence of leadership.

She said: “It is a total absence of leadership to set out on a three-nation junket to France, Kenya and Rwanda while the bodies of our citizens lay slain in South Africa and the rest hide from a raging mob.”

She urged Tinubu to compel South African President Cyril Ramaphosa to take decisive action, stating that decisive Nigerian resolve would make the difference.

PRESIDENT of ADSC, Victor Oluwafemi, in a statement yesterday, urged Nigeria to take a more forward-looking approach that prioritises citizen protection, regional cooperation and long-term conflict prevention.

He noted that while concerns over the safety of Nigerians and other African nationals in South Africa continue to grow, Nigeria’s response should go beyond emergency evacuations and public condemnations.

According to him, the Federal government should deepen diplomatic engagement with South African authorities through structured bilateral channels to ensure the protection of Nigerians and strengthen accountability mechanisms.

Oluwafemi also recommended cooperation with the African Union (AU) to advance stronger continental frameworks for migrant protection and to promote adherence to existing agreements on free movement and human rights.