The House of Representatives on Thursday strongly condemned the wave of xenophobic attacks against Nigerians and other African nationals in South Africa, urging the federal government to intensify diplomatic pressure on Pretoria while rejecting proposals by some lawmakers to immediately suspend diplomatic relations between both countries.
The resolution followed the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance sponsored by Yusuf Gagdi (APC, Plateau), who decried what he described as recurring violence, unlawful arrests, extrajudicial killings and persecution of Nigerians living in South Africa.
Moving the motion during plenary, Mr Gagdi said repeated xenophobic attacks in South Africa had claimed innocent lives, destroyed businesses and forced many Africans to flee their homes despite years of diplomatic engagements between the two countries.
He said recent reports pointed to a fresh escalation of attacks against Nigerians, as well as citizens of Ghana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Mozambique, Malawi and other African countries legally residing in South Africa.
According to him, the Nigerian government recently confirmed the deaths of two Nigerians, including one who reportedly died while in the custody of the South African police and another who was allegedly murdered outside his business premises.
