Breaking News
Xenophobic Attacks: ‘We can’t stand and watch’ – Foreign Affairs Minister
Foreign Affairs Minister, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, has said the Nigerian government cannot stand by and watch the systematic harassment and humiliation of its nationals residing in South Africa.
She stated this during a phone conversation with Ronald Lamola, the South Africa Foreign Affairs Minister, according to a statement she posted on her Facebook page.
The minister disclosed that the Nigerian government has prioritized the evacuation of citizens who want to return home from South Africa.
Bianca disclosed that President Bola Tinubu has directed that the Nigerian Missions in South Africa set up, with immediate effect, a Crisis Notification Unit for imperiled citizens.
The statement said, “This morning, I had a phone conversation with Hon Ronald Lamola, South Africa Foreign Affairs Minister who expressed concern and misgivings concerning the plans by the government of Nigeria to evacuate its citizens desirous of leaving the Republic of South Africa due to the recent xenophobic attacks and anti-foreigner sentiments openly expressed during continuing anti-migrant protests in South Africa, the latest of which took place in Durban, South Africa, yesterday 6th May 2026.
“I maintained that our Government cannot stand by and watch the systematic harassment and humiliation of our nationals resident in SA as well as the extra-judicial killings of our people, and that the evacuation of our citizens who want to return home remains our Government’s priority at this time.
“I also highlighted the need for their police and justice systems to take the cases on ground of extra-judicial killings of Nigerians in South Africa more seriously and that there should be clear and immediate consequences for such acts.
The Nigerian minister noted that Wednesday’s protests in Durban did not record acts of violence as there was heavy security presence, but Nigerians were advised to close their shops and businesses and stay indoors by the Nigerian Mission.
The statement added, “Our discussions also centered on the violent and indiscriminate rhetoric and actions of South Africa’s anti-foreigner political parties which puts the lives and properties of Nigerian and other nationals at risk, but which conversely might also have the effect jeopardizing the safety of South African interests in Nigeria.
“Nigerians have exercised, and continue to demonstrate commendable restraint, in their response to the ongoing crisis.
“I also brought to his attention, having engaged with some of our Nationals resident with their families in South Africa, the unfortunate fact that Nigerian Children as well as children born of both Nigerian and South African parents (referred to as ‘Sougerians’) are being wrongfully bullied in schools and taunted to ‘return to their country’.
“This is reprehensible and capable of causing trauma to young minds for whom such incidents may remain etched in memory.”
On his part, Lamola said the South African authorities recognise that they have a responsibility to protect innocent children and they are “doing their utmost through education supervisory bodies to discourage these practices”.
Breaking News
Mass Defection @ Oyo PDP As Makinde’s Loyalists Dump Party
The crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, took another dimension on Thursday when key political loyalists and associates of Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State announced their resolve to leave the party.
DAILY POST gathered that the PDP has been embroiled in a series of crises in the last few months.
Our correspondent reports that a faction of the party is loyal to the governor.
Another faction is loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mr Nyesom Wike.
DAILY POST gathered that many key loyalists of Governor Seyi Makinde in Oyo State have left the party.
The loyalists announced their defection from the PDP on Thursday in separate locations.
Although there are speculations that they are on their way to the Allied Peoples’ Movement, none of those who resigned from the PDP stated the next political party they intend to join.
As at the last count, our correspondent learnt that no fewer than ten prominent chieftains of the party in the state had dumped the party.
Some of those who dumped the party are gubernatorial aspirant on the platform of the party, Ambassador Olufemi Oguntoyinbo; Special Adviser on Security to the governor, Mr Fatai Owoseni; and Chairman of Oluyole Local Government Area, Engineer Akeem Olatunji.
Others are the Deputy Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Abiodun Fadeyi; member of the House of Representatives representing Ibarapa North/Ibarapa Central Federal Constituency, Anthony Adepoju; his counterpart representing Ibadan North East/Ibadan South East Federal Constituency, Abass Adigun; and the member representing Ibadan North West/Ibadan South West Federal Constituency, Adedeji Olajide.
Fadeyi, who represents Ona Ara State Constituency in the House of Assembly, while speaking with DAILY POST, noted that he dumped the PDP due to the internal crisis rocking the party.
Fadeyi, in a telephone conversation with DAILY POST on Thursday, said: “Yes, I am also leaving the party. I am defecting, of course. The reason is what others are giving. What are the reasons others are giving? It is due to the internal crisis.”
Olatunji, a former Publicity Secretary of the PDP in the state, in his own remark, also cited internal crisis as the reason for his defection.
Olatunji, in a telephone conversation with DAILY POST on Thursday, said: “Yes, it is true. Due to the internal crisis. You know Wike has bastardized the party. He did not allow the party to breathe. We need to give the people of our constituency the opportunity to enjoy good governance.”
As at the time of filing this report on Thursday, DAILY POST gathered that more loyalists of the governor were on their way out of the PDP ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Politics
2027 ELECTION: ‘We will Interrogate What Peter Obi Did To Northerners As Anambra Governor’ – Prof Yusuf
Former Chief Executive Officer of the National Health Insurance Scheme, NHIS, Prof Usman Yusuf, has recounted what former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, did to northerners when he was Anambra State governor.
Speaking during an interview on Trust TV, Yusuf said Obi sent northerners out of Anambra as governor.
He also alleged that Obi made northerners staying in Anambra at the time to have identity cards.
“Kwankwaso is the vehicle to sell Peter Obi to the North, but we have the record of what Peter Obi did to northerners.
“The evil that men do lives after them. I said this because we (Northern Muslims) are going to interrogate and question Peter Obi’s tenure when he was the governor of Anambra State. What he did to northerners.
“He even made them have an ID card, their names, where they are from and their occupations. In this Nigeria that we live. He will come and explain to us.
“It is the same Kwankwaso that had to fly to Awka and sit with him and say, be careful. I have more Igbos in Kano living in peace than there are northerners throughout the South-East,” Yusuf said.
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