Analyst, Jide Ogun, has called on the Federal Government to adopt a more robust legal and diplomatic approach in responding to the reported treatment of Nigerians in South Africa, arguing that official statements alone are insufficient to address alleged human rights violations.
Speaking during a television interview, Ogun said Nigeria should consider assembling a team of lawyers and constitutional experts to pursue legal remedies within South Africa's judicial system against actions allegedly targeting foreign nationals.
According to him, the proposed legal team should challenge any actions that violate South Africa's Constitution and international human rights obligations.
"The government should be more forceful in dealing with the South African authorities than merely issuing statements that are unlikely to produce meaningful action," he said.
Ogun suggested that Nigerian legal professionals, alongside international human rights advocates, should initiate proceedings before South African courts to challenge alleged abuses against Nigerians and other African migrants.
He acknowledged that practical challenges, including visa approvals, could arise but insisted that legal engagement remained an important avenue for seeking justice.
According to him, the objective should be to ensure accountability for any violations while encouraging South African authorities to uphold constitutional protections for all residents regardless of nationality.
The legal expert described reported attacks against foreign nationals as an assault on shared African values rather than merely a diplomatic disagreement between Nigeria and South Africa.
He recalled Nigeria's historical role in supporting South Africa during the anti-apartheid struggle and expressed concern that citizens of countries that once stood in solidarity with South Africa are now allegedly facing hostility.
He noted that Zimbabwe, Zambia, Lesotho and Nigeria were among African countries that played significant roles in supporting the liberation struggle against apartheid.
"It is painful that countries which stood by South Africa during apartheid now see their citizens facing hostility," he said.
While acknowledging South Africa's right to enforce its immigration laws, Ogun argued that illegal migration should be addressed through established legal procedures rather than through violence or mob action.
He questioned reports of attacks on businesses and homes belonging to foreign nationals, saying that if individuals had violated immigration laws by overstaying their visas, authorities should rely on lawful deportation and judicial processes.
"If people entered South Africa legally and later overstayed, there are laws to deal with that. There is no justification for intimidation, destruction of property or attacks on innocent people," he stated.
Ogun also argued that migrants often make significant contributions to the economies and cultural diversity of their host countries.
He pointed to European football as an example, noting that several national teams benefit from players with immigrant backgrounds, illustrating how migration can strengthen societies rather than weaken them.
According to him, immigration should be managed responsibly without encouraging discrimination or xenophobia.
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