South Africa Rejects Nigeria's Compensation Demand Over Xenophobic Attacks
South Africa has rejected Nigeria's request for compensation for citizens who fled xenophobic violence and abandoned businesses. Officials dismissed the claim and accused Nigerian migrants of running illegal drug dens.
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South Africa has rejected Nigeria’s request for compensation for its citizens who abandoned businesses and properties while fleeing xenophobic attacks. The rejection was confirmed by South African Minister Pinky Kekana, according to Vanguard News.
Nigeria had announced it was compiling records of properties and businesses left behind by returning nationals as the basis for seeking reparations. The South African government dismissed the claim, with Minister Ntshavheni challenging Nigerian authorities to ‘show us the drug dens’ instead.
‘We’ll be interested to know where the drug dens of Nigerians are so they can show us where they’ve been holding the drugs so that we can clean the drugs in South Africa quite urgently,’ Ntshavheni said, according to Vanguard News.
In a related statement, the South African government argued that many of the structures left behind do not qualify as formal property. ‘Informal squatter camps and settlements are never properties because they are illegal in the country,’ a government representative told Peoples Gazette.
The exchange follows renewed outbreaks of xenophobic violence targeting foreign nationals in South Africa. Nigeria’s push for compensation underscores growing diplomatic tensions between the two African nations over the treatment of migrant communities.