Tinubu Urges United African Action Against South Africa Xenophobic Attacks
Korede Abdullah 
Vice President Kashim Shettima
FREETOWN, Sierra Leone – President Bola Tinubu has called on African leaders to adopt a united position against the recurring xenophobic attacks in South Africa, warning that silence would only encourage intolerance and violence against Africans across the continent.
Tinubu, represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, made the call during the 69th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government in Freetown, Sierra Leone.
According to a statement from the Vice President’s office, the President urged ECOWAS member states to collectively condemn what he described as Afrophobic attacks and escalate the matter to the African Union.
“Nigeria condemns, in the strongest terms, the recent attacks on its citizens and other Africans in the Republic of South Africa. As already stated by His Excellency, the President of Ghana, ECOWAS should present a united voice in this condemnation and table the matter before the next session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the African Union,” Tinubu said through Shettima.
The President said the latest incidents are part of a recurring pattern of violence that has repeatedly strained diplomatic relations between Nigeria and South Africa.
He disclosed that the Federal Government has evacuated more than 1,490 Nigerians from South Africa in seven separate batches following previous attacks, assuring that Nigeria would continue to protect its citizens while maintaining diplomatic engagement with South African authorities.
Tinubu also reaffirmed Nigeria’s support for the newly developed ECOWAS Compact for the Future of Regional Integration, describing it as a strategic roadmap for strengthening regional cooperation and restoring public confidence in ECOWAS institutions.
He said deeper regional integration remains essential for promoting peace, security and sustainable development across West Africa despite evolving geopolitical challenges.
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