Nigeria's Parliament Halts Official Visits to South Africa Over Xenophobic Violence

Nigeria's parliament declared an indefinite halt to all official visits to South Africa, expressing deep alarm over recent anti-immigrant violence. The clerk of the National Assembly, Kamoru Ogunlana, emphasized reports of Nigerians being killed, wounded, displaced and compelled to relinquish businesses and homes. In June, two Nigerians lost their lives during protests, with one death attributed to police action and the other to unidentified attackers.

The move is presented as a strong statement of concern for the safety of Nigerians living and working in South Africa. South African authorities report that nearly 90,000 migrants have either voluntarily returned or been deported, while home-country figures suggest the total may be around 178,000. The suspension underscores rising diplomatic tension between the two African nations over xenophobic unrest.