ABUJA — Former Minister of Aviation and chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, has issued a strong warning to the South African government over the persistent xenophobic attacks, harassment, and targetted violence directed at Nigerian citizens residing in South Africa.
In a strongly worded public statement released on Tuesday, September 29, 2026, Fani-Kayode condemned the recurring hostility against Nigerians, warning that the patience of the Nigerian government and its citizens has worn thin in the face of continued attacks on their lives and businesses.
He urged South African authorities to take immediate, decisive law enforcement actions to protect Nigerians living within their borders, cautioning that no nation holds a monopoly on hostility and that diplomatic tolerance should not be mistaken for weakness.
Fani-Kayode recalled Nigeria’s central historical role and financial sacrifices in dismantling the Apartheid regime in South Africa, describing the ongoing violence against Nigerians as an unacceptable betrayal of Pan-African solidarity.
He called on the Federal Government of Nigeria to adopt a firmer diplomatic stance against Pretoria to ensure the physical protection, legal rights, and economic security of Nigerians across South Africa are fully guaranteed.
