Vice-President says African nations must confront rising xenophobic attacks, reminding South Africa of the support it received during the apartheid era…..
Vice-President Kashim Shettima has said Nigeria made significant sacrifices to support the fight against apartheid in South Africa, including deductions from students’ scholarship allowances to finance liberation movements across Southern Africa.
Shettima made the remarks on Sunday while addressing the 69th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government in Sierra Leone, where he condemned the recent wave of xenophobic attacks targeting foreign nationals in South Africa.
Calling for a united regional response, the vice-president urged West African leaders to place the issue on the agenda of the next African Union (AU) summit, saying a collective position would send a strong message that violence and intolerance against fellow Africans have no place on the continent.
He said South Africa should not forget the sacrifices made by countries such as Nigeria and Ghana during the struggle to end apartheid, stressing that many African nations contributed resources to secure the country’s freedom.
According to Shettima, part of those contributions came through deductions from scholarship allowances paid to Nigerian students, with the funds directed toward liberation movements in Southern Africa.
He argued that migrants from other African countries should not be blamed for South Africa’s internal challenges, insisting that those living and working in the country are contributing their skills rather than creating its problems.
Nigeria has repeatedly expressed concern over the latest outbreak of xenophobic violence, which began in April and claimed the lives of at least four Nigerians.
The Federal Government has maintained that the attacks are unacceptable, with Minister of Foreign Affairs Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu previously stating that Nigerians are deeply disappointed by the treatment of their citizens despite the country’s historic role in supporting South Africa’s liberation.
She recalled that Nigeria committed substantial financial and material resources to the anti-apartheid struggle, while schools reserved places for South African students. She also reflected on how many young Nigerians participated in demonstrations against apartheid, with some protesters arrested during the campaigns.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu further argued that the recent hostility appeared to target black African migrants, rather than all foreign nationals.
Following the violence, the Federal Government evacuated 1,490 Nigerians from South Africa in seven separate batches after rights groups issued an unofficial June 30 deadline for migrants to leave the country.
While Abuja says it remains committed to resolving the dispute through diplomatic channels, officials have also indicated that stronger measures could be considered if the situation fails to improve.
