Xenophobia: Former foreign affairs minister ask FG to sue South Africa

Former minister of foreign affairs Professor Bolaji Akinyemi has advised the federal government to drag South Africa to the International Criminal Court of Justice over killings of Nigerians during the recent xenophobic attacks in the country.

In a statement on Sunday, September 15, 2019, Akinyemi said the South African government failed to protect Nigerians, adding that the country’s government officials made statements unbecoming of a responsible country.

He said Nigerian government must sue its South African counterpart, saying the xenophobic attacks were in violation of Article 2, Paragraph 2 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.

According to him, the attacks were also against Article 2, Paragraph 1 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination and the International Convention on the Protection of Migrant Workers.

Akinyemi also accused South African government officials of sponsoring and condoning the xenophobic attacks.

He added that statements by South African leaders such as Naledi Pandor, defense minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula and former deputy minister of police Bongani Mkongi encouraged protesting South Africans to attack Nigerians and other foreign nationals in their country.