AU: Tinubu Urges African Leaders To Take Firm Action Against South Africa Over Xenophobic Attacks

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has lodged a formal complaints at the African Union, AU against South Africa over recent xenophobic attacks on Nigerians and other Africans.

Represented by Vice President Kassim Shettima at the 21st Extraordinary Session of the Assembly of the Union in Luanda, Angola, President Tinubu urged the union to take a firm stand against South Africa, saying the attacks threatens peaceful co-existence in the continent.

The xenophobic attacks have been sustained in the last few months by south Africans groups and individuals who attack Nigerians and other people from the continents, especially blacks after accusing them of breaching the country’s immigration laws.

The angry South Africans have also claimed that the problems of unemployment in the country is caused by the influx of foreigners into their country.

In response, Nigerians and other African governments have taken steeps to evacuate their citizens from the country. Last week, over 70 Nigerians were evacuated from the country to prevent them from being attacked.

Not a few Nigerians have called for a strong retaliatory and diplomatic action against the President Cyril Ramphosa-led country over the unprovoked attacks.

President Nigeria’s formal complaint to the union, President Tinubu raised concern over what he decsribed as the ‘recring xenophobic and Afrophobic attacks by South Africans against blacks in the country, urging the Council to call the country to order as the attack is capable of destroying the solidarity among African countries.

According to a statement issued by  Stanley Nkwocha, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Communications, Tinubu called on the AU to make  the issue a major focus during its upcoming  40th Ordinary Session of the AU Assembly, scheduled for January 2027, demanding a collective action against South Africa by other African leaders.

Tinubu: “Nigeria wishes to express its concern over the recurring xenophobic and Afrophobic attacks against Africans and other nationals in South Africa.

“While recognising South Africa’s sovereign right to enforce its immigration laws and acknowledging its contributions to the continent, Nigeria stresses that such attacks undermine African solidarity, unity and peaceful coexistence, and require urgent collective attention.

“It is on this note that Nigeria calls on this august Assembly to place the matter on the agenda of the upcoming 40th Ordinary Session of the AU Assembly, scheduled for January 2027, for consideration and appropriate action.”