Xenophobic Attacks: Tinubu Declines Meeting With Ramaphosa’s Envoy

President Bola Tinubu has declined a scheduled meeting with a special delegation from South African President Cyril Ramaphosa over renewed xenophobic attacks targeting Nigerians and other African nationals in South Africa.

The President instead directed the delegation, led by South Africa’s Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola, to meet with Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye.

According to Punch, the development was confirmed by Presidency sources who said the South African team arrived in Abuja on Friday seeking an audience with Tinubu but was later asked to engage with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

One of the sources said the delegation initially requested to meet the President upon arrival but had no prior appointment.

“They actually came here on Friday wanting to see the President. But there was no prior notice.

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“And we said we can’t just allow you to see the President without first asking him if he is available. So we asked, and the President said they could come on Monday.

“But when Monday came, he simply said they should go and meet the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Enikanolaiye, and whatever they discuss, the Minister would come and brief him,” the source said.

Another Presidency official confirmed that the meeting with Tinubu would not hold, saying, “I just confirmed it. He is not seeing them. The meeting is not happening.”

A third official added, “We don’t have that on the schedule today.”

The South African delegation reportedly remained in Abuja over the weekend after arriving on July 24 with a message from President Ramaphosa amid growing diplomatic tensions between both countries.

The visit followed renewed attacks on Nigerians and their businesses in South Africa, which led to the evacuation of hundreds of Nigerians back home.

The delegation’s engagement with Nigerian officials was also influenced by concerns over the timing of a presidential meeting while the attacks were ongoing.

Receiving the South African envoys in Abuja, Enikanolaiye said President Tinubu directed him to engage with the delegation on ways to resolve the crisis.

“It is with profound pleasure that I welcome our brothers from South Africa. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had actually asked us to meet with you and exchange views and perspectives on how to address and resolve the ongoing Afrophobic attacks in South Africa, of which Nigerians, and other citizens of Africa, have been victims,” he said.

The minister described the attacks as a recurring challenge, noting that Nigerians had faced similar incidents over several years.

“We have seen a pattern emerge as early as 1995, 1998, 2006, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2021, 2024 and 2026,” Enikanolaiye said.

“It is on record that from 2022 alone, 98 Nigerians have died in mob actions, in hate-related actions that we have called Afrophobia, because we found that the preponderant victims of this ugly situation are Africans and Nigerians in particular,” he added.

Enikanolaiye recalled Nigeria’s support for South Africa during the anti-apartheid struggle, stressing that the attacks were inconsistent with the historic relationship between both nations.

He, however, said Nigeria does not condone criminal activities, insisting that Nigerians accused of offences must be subjected to due process rather than mob attacks.

“If someone is, quote-unquote, a criminal for drug trafficking, there are rules, there are regulations for when they are arrested, prosecuted, and jailed. The Nigerian government will not support drug peddlers, but please, what we’re saying is that treat them in accordance with your constitution, in accordance with international human rights instruments, in accordance with the minimum requirement of humanity,” he said.

The minister said the violence had gone beyond targeting alleged criminals, adding that Nigerians with legitimate reasons to live and work in South Africa had also become victims.

“But what we have found is that this xenophobic act has gone beyond the attack on criminals. We have records of Nigerians who have a legitimate purpose to remain in South Africa, yet they have been attacked,” he said.

Enikanolaiye also raised concerns over alleged inaction by authorities during some attacks, saying such situations raised questions about state responsibility.

“We could see some mob actions, where we saw the police watching, as if they are helpless to address this situation, which to us raises issues of state responsibility. It raises issues of complicity. If the state authorities are not able or unwilling to tackle these challenges,” he said.

He further highlighted the humanitarian consequences of the attacks, recalling the evacuation of Nigerians affected by the crisis.

“The last batch of evacuees we moved from there, we had almost 1,500 of our nationals. It was not a pleasant experience. I shed tears in the plane when I saw children, women, the elderly returning home almost with nothing. Some of them, their properties have been looted. Some of them have been destroyed,” Enikanolaiye said.