NASS Freezes Legislative Ties with South Africa Due to Xenophobic Attacks

Nigeria's National Assembly has taken the significant step of halting all formal legislative interactions with South Africa. This action, declared on Friday, September 11, comes in response to fresh incidents of xenophobic violence directed at Nigerian citizens and other African expatriates residing in the country. The move was finalized after extensive discussions involving the leaders of both the Senate and the House of Representatives, following widespread reports of Nigerians suffering fatalities, injuries, displacement, and being compelled to desert their residences, enterprises, and assets in South Africa.

A formal declaration issued by the Clerk to the National Assembly, Kamoru Ogunlana, conveyed the federal legislature's profound apprehension regarding the resurgence of these xenophobic assaults. The statement specifically highlighted the persistent inability of South African authorities to curb the violence effectively, even after numerous diplomatic efforts had been made.

The scope of this suspension is comprehensive, encompassing all official travel to South Africa by the National Assembly, its various committees, individual lawmakers, administrative officials, and staff members. Furthermore, it applies to a range of events such as conferences, seminars, workshops, parliamentary sessions, legislative exchange initiatives, and any other programmes organized or sponsored by South African legislative bodies.

The National Assembly clarified that this directive applies to both in-person and online participation in these engagements. The suspension will remain in effect indefinitely, pending a review by the legislative leadership should the circumstances change.

The Clerk was also instructed to disseminate this decision to all senators, members of the House of Representatives, committees, departments, directorates, officials, and staff, ensuring strict adherence. The parliamentarians underscored that their resolution was prompted by continuous reports of xenophobic aggression targeting Nigerians and other African residents in South Africa. They observed that prior pleas from the Nigerian Government and other concerned parties for the safeguarding of foreign nationals had unfortunately failed to deter subsequent occurrences of violence.