CD Gives Tinubu One-month Deadline to Cut Ties with S’Africa over Xenophobic Attacks

• Demands expulsion of envoy, shutdown of South African businesses in Nigeria

• Threatens nationwide protests if FG fails to act by June 6

Sunday Aborisade in Abuja

The Campaign for Democracy (CD) has issued a one-month ultimatum to the federal government to sever diplomatic and economic relations with South Africa over renewed xenophobic attacks on Nigerians living in the country.

The group accused the South African authorities of tolerating what it described as systematic killings, destruction of businesses and economic violence targeted at Nigerians, warning that continued silence by Nigeria would amount to a betrayal of its citizens.

In a statement addressed to President Bola Tinubu yesterday, the National Assembly and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the National President of CD, Rev. Ifeanyi Odili, condemned the persistent attacks, saying they had gone beyond isolated criminal incidents to become coordinated acts of ethnic hostility.

The organisation lamented that despite Nigeria’s historic support for South Africa during the anti-apartheid struggle, Nigerians were now facing hostility, intimidation and loss of livelihoods in the country.

According to the group, Nigeria committed enormous financial and diplomatic resources to South Africa’s liberation struggle between 1960 and 1995, yet Nigerians have continued to suffer repeated attacks without decisive intervention from the South African government.

Citing provisions of Sections 14(2)(b) and 33(1) of the 1999 Constitution, as well as South Africa’s obligations under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, CD demanded urgent retaliatory measures from the federal government.

Among its demands, the group called for the immediate expulsion of the South African HigCommissioner to Nigeria and the total severance of diplomatic ties with Pretoria on or before June 6, 2026.

It also demanded the indefinite recall of Nigeria’s High Commissioner to South Africa, the imposition of a total trade and economic embargo on South Africa, and the revocation of operating licences belonging to South African companies doing business in Nigeria.

The organisation further called for the establishment of an independent international tribunal to investigate and prosecute perpetrators of xenophobic attacks, while ensuring compensation and reparations for victims and affected families.

CD warned that maintaining cordial relations with South Africa while Nigerians were allegedly being killed and their businesses destroyed would undermine Nigeria’s sovereignty and diminish the sacrifices made by previous generations in support of African liberation struggles.

The group urged Tinubu to ensure that his administration’s “Renewed Hope” agenda translates into what it described as “renewed dignity” for Nigerians living abroad.

It also appealed to the National Assembly to pass an emergency resolution endorsing the proposed diplomatic and economic sanctions against South Africa.

The pro-democracy group warned that failure by the federal government to act within the stipulated one-month period would trigger nationwide peaceful protests, including the picketing of South African businesses and diplomatic missions across Nigeria.