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 Shettima as saying.
Vice President Kashim Shettima has warned that Nigeria will no longer remain silent over the alleged harassment, humiliation and dehumanisation of its citizens in South Africa.
Shettima spoke on Monday in Luanda, Angola, shortly before leaving the country 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.
According to a statement issued by the Vice President’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communications, Stanley Nkwocha, the recurring xenophobic and Afrophobic attacks against Nigerians in South Africa had reached an unacceptable point.
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“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 Shettima as saying.
The Vice President recalled Nigeria’s contribution to the liberation struggles in Southern Africa, saying the country had a historic stake in the welfare of fellow Africans in the region.
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,” he added.
Shettima, however, stressed that Nigeria was not seeking confrontation with South Africa, insisting that dialogue remained the preferred means of resolving the issue.
“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,” he said.
He also called on South African authorities to ensure that immigration enforcement was carried out with respect for human rights and dignity.
The Vice President’s remarks came after Nigeria formally raised concerns over the repeated attacks at the AU summit on Tinubu’s behalf.
Nigeria also requested that the issue be considered at the African Union’s 40th Ordinary Session, scheduled for January 2027.