President Bola Tinubu on Monday declined to receive a special delegation sent by South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa over ongoing xenophobic attacks against Nigerians, directing the visiting team to instead meet with the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye.

Presidency sources confirmed that the South African delegation, led by Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola, had arrived in Abuja seeking an audience with the President, but Tinubu instructed them to engage directly with Enikanolaiye to discuss and resolve the ongoing crisis.

Speaking during the reception of the South African envoys, Enikanolaiye expressed deep concern over the recurring Afrophobic violence, noting that 98 Nigerians have died in mob actions since 2022 and emphasizing that state authorities must ensure the safety and fundamental rights of all African migrants within their borders.

In response, Lamola reaffirmed South Africa’s opposition to xenophobia and discriminatory violence while maintaining that his country must continue to enforce its sovereign immigration laws, expressing hope that bilateral talks with Nigerian officials would help de-escalate tensions.