Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has launched a scathing attack on the Federal Government’s handling of the renewed xenophobic violence in South Africa, describing the response as “slow, weak and reactive” and accusing the Tinubu administration of moving with “the lethargy that has become its defining trademark.” In a statement issued on Sunday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku said it was “deeply troubling” that Nigeria, which prides itself as the leader of the Black world and the giant of Africa, once again found itself reacting instead of leading in a moment of continental crisis. The former vice president drew a sharp contrast between Nigeria’s sluggish response and the decisive action taken by Ghana, which immediately approved the evacuation of more than 300 distressed citizens following the latest wave of xenophobic threats.
Atiku noted that for years, Nigerians in South Africa have endured recurring cycles of intimidation, harassment, looting and xenophobic hostility, with businesses destroyed, lives endangered and families gripped by fear. Yet, he argued, successive Nigerian responses have followed the same tired script, summoning diplomats, issuing cautious statements and retreating into bureaucratic inertia until the next crisis erupts. He said the critical question is not whether the government eventually responded, but whether that response reflected the urgency, seriousness and leadership expected of a responsible government. “By every objective standard, it did not,” he declared.
Atiku specifically faulted the Federal Government for its hesitancy while smaller nations acted decisively. He noted that when the first signs of danger emerged, other African countries acted with clarity, compassion and urgency, while Nigeria remained paralysed and reactive. “It is frankly humiliating that Ghana, with far fewer diplomatic resources and citizens abroad, projected stronger leadership and clearer compassion than Nigeria in this moment,” he said. He stressed that a government which waits until other nations have taken the lead before acting sends a dangerous signal that the lives of its citizens are negotiable.
The former vice president called on the Tinubu administration to move beyond what he described as half‑measures. He urged the Federal Government to issue a robust and unambiguous travel advisory, activate efficient evacuation arrangements for willing citizens, intensify diplomatic engagement with South African authorities, and push the African Union towards a lasting continental framework against recurring xenophobic violence. He specifically called on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to abandon its habitual slow‑footedness and rise to the demands of a moment in which both lives and national dignity are at stake. “Africa cannot continue to preach unity while tolerating periodic persecution of fellow Africans. And Nigeria cannot continue to posture as a continental leader while behaving like a reluctant observer,” he said.
Atiku’s criticism comes as the Federal Government has taken a series of measures in response to the crisis. President Bola Tinubu directed Nigerian missions in South Africa to immediately establish a crisis notifications unit for imperilled citizens, who have been advised to first contact South African security authorities in dangerous situations. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu‑Ojukwu, has held telephone conversations with her South African counterpart, Ronald Lamola, and conveyed Nigeria’s strong displeasure over the attacks. She has insisted that the government cannot stand by and watch the systematic harassment, humiliation and extra‑judicial killings of Nigerians in South Africa, and that the evacuation of citizens who want to return home remains the government’s priority.
The crisis began in late April 2026, when anti‑immigrant groups, including Operation Dudula and March and March, launched a nationwide shutdown on May 4, demanding that all foreign nationals leave South Africa. The protests turned violent, with shops looted, vehicles vandalised, and foreign nationals maimed and killed. At least two Nigerians have been confirmed dead, and more than 130 Nigerians have registered for voluntary repatriation. The South African government, through President Cyril Ramaphosa, has condemned the attacks and called for calm, but violence has persisted. Several African nations, including Ghana, Tanzania and Botswana, have taken retaliatory measures, with Tanzania issuing a 48‑hour ultimatum for South African citizens to leave and Botswana cutting power supplies and sealing its land border.
The National Assembly has also moved to address the crisis, with the Senate resolving to establish a joint ad‑hoc committee comprising members of both chambers to undertake a fact‑finding and diplomatic mission to South Africa. The committee is expected to be led by the leadership of the National Assembly.
Atiku’s statement has reignited the political debate over Nigeria’s foreign policy and its capacity to protect citizens abroad. The presidency had not issued a formal response to Atiku’s criticism at the time of this report, but officials have previously insisted that Nigeria continues to engage diplomatically and prioritise the safety of its nationals. Meanwhile, Nigerian citizens in South Africa remain on edge, with many expressing fear and uncertainty as anti‑foreigner sentiments continue to rise. The crisis has once again exposed the fragility of continental solidarity and the urgent need for a binding framework to protect African migrants across the continent.
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