Nigeria suspends official visits to South Africa over anti-migrant violence

What the report says

Nigeria’s National Assembly has suspended all official visits to South Africa, including virtual meetings, in response to what it described as ongoing violence against immigrants there. The decision was announced on Friday by Akin Rotimi, spokesman for the lower chamber, and followed months of anti-foreigner unrest in South Africa that has affected migrant communities, including Nigerians.

According to Al Jazeera’s report, Nigerian lawmakers said they could not ignore repeated attacks on citizens abroad. Kamoru Ogunlana, the clerk to the national assembly, said parliament was especially concerned by reports that Nigerians had been killed, injured, displaced and forced to give up businesses, homes and other property. Nigeria has also accused South Africa of failing to do enough to stop the violence.

The move comes amid broader tensions in South Africa, where protests and attacks targeting undocumented and documented migrants have been linked to high unemployment and strained social services. Al Jazeera reported that in a recent Durban incident, protesters attacked an encampment of Congolese nationals, and that some people have been removed from homes and handed to police. Nigerian officials have previously raised the issue with South African counterparts.

The dispute matters because both countries are major players in Africa, and the violence has fueled diplomatic friction while displacing large numbers of people. Al Jazeera said tens of thousands have left South Africa since the unrest intensified.