Return home, cancel trips, protect Nigerians in S’Africa, Ezekwesili tells Tinubu

Former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili, has demanded that President Bola Tinubu cut short his ongoing foreign visits to France, Kenya, and Rwanda and return to Nigeria to address the killings and attacks on Nigerians in South Africa.

Ezekwesili made the demand in a post addressed to Tinubu on her X.com account on Monday, describing the President’s decision to embark on a three-nation trip amid reported attacks on Nigerians in South Africa as a total absence of leadership.

She said, “Return Home, Mr President: The Nigerian Government Must Stop Treating the Killing and Attacks on Nigerians in South Africa as Routine Diplomacy.

“Mr President Tinubu, it is a total absence of leadership to set out on a three-nation junket to France, Kenya, and Rwanda while the bodies of our citizens lay slain in South Africa while the rest hide from a raging mob.”

The former minister said the Federal Government’s response, which she described as summoning envoys, issuing advisories, asking Nigerians to remain calm, and evacuating some citizens, fell short of what was required.

“The recurring killing, harassment, looting and intimidation of Nigerians in South Africa is no longer a matter for routine diplomatic statements,” she said, adding that the attacks had become confirmation that the Nigerian state did not value the lives and dignity of its citizens whether at home or abroad.

Ezekwesili called on the federal government to immediately demand from the South African Government a full published account of reported attacks, injuries, deaths, destroyed businesses, arrests, prosecutions commenced, compensation claims, and unresolved cases involving Nigerians in that country.

She further demanded that Nigeria press the South African Government for what she described as a time-bound justice framework that clearly addresses investigation, prosecution, restitution, and public reporting, warning that anything less would reward the impunity of those responsible for the killings.

Ezekwesili also called on the administration to strengthen its consular protection system across all Nigerian embassies so that citizens abroad would know how to report danger, access emergency assistance, and receive a clear commitment on what action the government would take on their behalf.

Invoking Nigeria’s role in the anti-apartheid struggle, she said the recurring attacks on Nigerians in South Africa dishonoured a shared history.

“Nigeria did not stand aside during apartheid. Through the Southern Africa Relief Fund, ordinary Nigerians gave from their meagre incomes to support the liberation struggle. Nigeria provided financial, diplomatic, and moral leadership to the African National Congress and other movements when it mattered most,” she said.

She urged Tinubu to leverage that history to compel South African President Cyril Ramaphosa to take decisive action, stating that decisive Nigerian resolve would make the difference.

“President Tinubu would get his counterpart, President Ramaphosa of South Africa, to decisively act and end the killings of our citizens once they can see that Nigeria is ready to deploy everything possible to protect our citizens living in their country,” she said.

Ezekwesili concluded that the administration’s failure to defend Nigerians abroad weakened its authority and compounded what she called its “legitimacy deficit.”

Report that no fewer than 130 Nigerians have registered for voluntary evacuation flights from South Africa.