Aniefiok Christopher
Vice President Kashim Shettima on Monday warned that Nigeria would no longer tolerate the dehumanisation and mistreatment of its citizens in South Africa.
The Vice President spoke in Luanda, Angola, shortly before his departure for Nigeria after representing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the 21st Extraordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union (AU).
He declared that Nigeria would no longer tolerate any form of xenophobic or Afrophobic attacks against its citizens, warning against the recurring xenophobic and Afrophobic attacks.
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Speaking to newsmen in Luanda shortly before his departure from Luanda, Angola, for Nigeria, Shettima said the pattern of attacks had crossed a line Nigeria was no longer willing to accept quietly.
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.”
The Vice President said Nigeria’s preferred approach remained dialogue rather than confrontation, though he made clear that restraint had limits.
According to him, “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 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 subsequently departed Luanda for Nigeria after concluding his engagements at the AU extraordinary summit.
Meanwhile, the 21st African Union Extraordinary Summit concluded yesterday with a strong call for member states to translate peace and security commitments into measurable action and to finance the agenda themselves through expanded support for the AU Peace Fund.
According to the Luanda Declaration, read by AU chairperson Évariste Ndayishimiye, governments should move beyond declarations and deliver concrete results in conflict prevention and resolution.
The Luanda summit reaffirmed that sustainable peace must be supported by African resources while cooperation with international partners should respect sovereignty and African‑led solutions.
The African Peace Fund is tasked with mobilising resources for African-led peace and security efforts through a more predictable, member-funded financing.
Established in 1993, the AU Peace Fund is the Union’s principal financing instrument for peace operations, mediation and institutional capacity.
