Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman and CEO of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), has once again strongly condemned the renewed xenophobic attacks against Nigerians in South Africa, declaring that “enough is enough.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday, Dabiri-Erewa described the situation as terrible, disappointing, painful, and emphasized that Nigeria’s formal response regarding its bilateral relationship with South Africa would be determined by higher authorities, including the Minister of Foreign Affairs and possibly the President. Enough really has to be enough. Whatever will be done, we will hear from the higher authorities, she reiterated.
Her comments followed the evacuation of the first group of Nigerians affected by the attacks. A total of 258 Nigerians arrived in Lagos aboard an Air Peace flight, where they were received by government officials, including Sola Enikanolaiye, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. According to the government, the evacuation was carried out to protect Nigerians facing threats, harassment, and violence. The returnees will undergo documentation, medical screening, and temporary accommodation before reuniting with their families.
Dabiri-Erewa rejected allegations that the affected Nigerians had committed crimes, insisting they were targeted solely because they were black migrants in South Africa. “None of the 258 that returned committed any crime. Their only ‘crime’ was the colour of their skin. If an individual commits a crime, address that individual; you cannot generalise. Unfortunately, the South African government is looking the other way, and that is the sad part,” she stated.
While acknowledging the evacuation, Dabiri-Erewa stressed it is not a permanent solution. She noted that diplomatic engagement between Nigeria and South Africa is ongoing. “Diplomacy is always about having a conversation. The Minister of Foreign Affairs is still engaging her counterparts, and I’m sure the two presidents will be talking more about this. We are glad this first batch is home; we expect three to five more batches,” she said.
