Vice President Kashim Shettima has said Nigeria will no longer accept the dehumanisation or mistreatment of its citizens in South Africa, warning against the repeated cases of xenophobic and Afrophobic attacks.
Shettima made the remarks on Monday while leaving Luanda, Angola, for Nigeria after representing President Bola Tinubu at the 21st Extraordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union.
Speaking to journalists shortly before his departure, the Vice President said the continued attacks against Nigerians had reached a point where the country could no longer remain silent.
The Vice President’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communications, Stanley Nkwocha, disclosed this in a statement issued on Monday titled, ‘VP Shettima: Why South Africans Must Rethink Xenophobic, Afrophobic Attacks.’
“The government and people of Nigeria will no longer countenance a situation whereby our people are dehumanised and put into very, very unacceptable situations,” Nkwocha quoted the Vice President as saying.
Shettima also recalled Nigeria’s historic contribution to the liberation struggles in Southern Africa, stressing that Nigerians deserved to be treated with dignity.
He said, “Those whose palm kernels were cracked by benevolent spirits should learn to be humble.
“We were part of the struggle for the liberation of our brothers and sisters in Southern Africa, and we feel personally pained that our people have been picked up for humiliation.”
The Vice President maintained that Nigeria would continue to favour dialogue and diplomatic engagement rather than confrontation, but noted that the country’s patience had its limits.
According to him, “We believe in having very robust conversations with our South African brothers.
“We don’t want to overheat the polity, but once in a while, you have to make it very clear, vehemently clear, that certain situations are unacceptable, and we’ll work things out.”
While condemning the reported attacks, Shettima called on the South African authorities to ensure that immigration laws were enforced without compromising the protection of human lives and human dignity.
His comments came after Nigeria used the same African Union summit to formally raise concerns over recurring attacks against Nigerians in South Africa.
In a message delivered on behalf of President Tinubu, Nigeria asked the African Union to place the issue on the agenda of its 40th Ordinary Session, scheduled for January 2027.
Shettima further described the attacks as a challenge to African solidarity, unity and peaceful coexistence.
The Vice President has since returned to Nigeria following the conclusion of the summit.
