Vice President Shettima declares Nigeria will no longer tolerate the dehumanisation and mistreatment of its citizens in South Africa, warning against xenop Read More: https://punchng.com/nigeriall-no-longer-tolerate-dehumanisation-of-citizens-in-safrica-shettima/
Vice President Kashim Shettima on Monday declared that Nigeria would no longer tolerate the dehumanisation and mistreatment of its citizens in South Africa.
He warned against the recurring xenophobic and Afrophobic attacks even as he departed Luanda, Angola, 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.
Speaking to newsmen in Luanda shortly before his departure, Shettima said the pattern of attacks had crossed a line Nigeria was no longer willing to accept.
The Senior Special Assistant to the VP on Media and Communications, Stanley Nkwocha, revealed this in a statement he signed Monday afternoon titled ‘VP Shettima: Why South Africans Must Rethink Xenophobic, Afrophobic
Attacks.’
“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 the VP as saying.
He invoked Nigeria’s historical role in Southern Africa’s liberation struggle to underline his point, saying, “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.
The Vice President said Nigeria’s preferred approach remained dialogue rather than confrontation, though he made clear that restraint had limits.
He said, “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.”
While condemning the attacks, Shettima urged South African authorities to protect lives and uphold human dignity in the enforcement of the country’s immigration policies.
His comments followed a message delivered on President Tinubu’s behalf at the same summit, in which Nigeria formally reported the recurring attacks to the African Union and requested that the matter be placed on the agenda of the AU’s 40th Ordinary Session scheduled for January 2027.
He also described the incidents as a threat to African solidarity, unity and peaceful coexistence. The Vice President has since departed Luanda for Nigeria.
