Oby Ezekwesili Urges Tinubu to Return Home, Address Attacks on Nigerians in South Africa

Summary: Former Minister of Education Oby Ezekwesili has urged President Bola Tinubu to return to Nigeria and take urgent action in response to rising xenophobic attacks and killings of Nigerians in South Africa.

Former Minister of Education Oby Ezekwesili has called on President Bola Tinubu to suspend his foreign engagements and return to Nigeria to address rising violence against Nigerians in South Africa. She made the call in a public statement shared via her X page, where she criticised the Federal Government’s response to reported attacks, killings and harassment of Nigerians in South Africa.

In her statement, Oby described the President’s ongoing foreign trips as a failure of leadership, noting that the situation requires urgent national attention. She stressed that existing measures, including issuing travel advisories and summoning envoys, are insufficient, urging the government to prioritise the safety and protection of its citizens abroad.

“The recurring killing, harassment, looting and intimidation of Nigerians in South Africa is no longer a matter for routine diplomatic statements,” she said.

The Former Minister further called on the Federal Government to demand a comprehensive account from the Government of South Africa detailing reported incidents involving Nigerians, including deaths, injuries, arrests, prosecutions, and compensation claims.

According to her, Nigeria must push for a time-bound justice framework that ensures investigation, prosecution, restitution, and transparent public reporting of such cases. She also emphasised the need to strengthen Nigeria’s consular protection systems to ensure that citizens abroad have access to emergency support and clear reporting channels.

She added that decisive engagement between President Tinubu and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa would be necessary to address the crisis and ensure accountability.

Her remarks come amid renewed xenophobic violence in South Africa, where foreign nationals, including Nigerians, have been targeted in protests, mob attacks and harassment. In recent weeks, demonstrations in cities such as Johannesburg and Pretoria have escalated into violence, with reports of looting of foreign-owned businesses, intimidation and at least two Nigerian deaths linked to security-related incidents.