Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has criticised President Bola Tinubu, describing Nigeria’s response to renewed xenophobic violence in South Africa as slow and embarrassing.
Atiku said the federal government should have acted more decisively as reports of attacks on Nigerians and other African migrants continue to emerge from South Africa.
He reportedly said the situation required urgent diplomatic action, arguing that the handling of the crisis reflected poorly on Nigeria’s leadership.
In a statement by his media aide on Sunday, Atiku said, “It is embarrassing that Nigeria is reacting slowly to a situation where its citizens are being attacked abroad.”
He added that the safety of Nigerians must always be a top priority of government, especially in situations involving repeated patterns of violence against foreigners.
Atiku also criticised what he described as a lack of urgency in coordinating a strong diplomatic response with South African authorities and regional partners.
The comments come as the Nigerian government has already begun engaging South African authorities over the situation. Earlier, President Tinubu directed Nigerian missions in South Africa to set up crisis response structures to assist citizens affected by the violence.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs had said the directive was aimed at improving communication with Nigerians in distress and strengthening coordination with South African security agencies.
South Africa has experienced recurring waves of xenophobic violence in past years, often targeting African migrants and foreign-owned businesses, raising repeated diplomatic tensions between Pretoria and several African countries.
Atiku’s remarks add to growing political debate within Nigeria over the government’s foreign policy response to citizen protection abroad.
The presidency has not yet issued a formal response to Atiku’s latest criticism, but officials have previously insisted that Nigeria continues to engage diplomatically and prioritize the safety of its nationals.
The latest tensions highlight renewed pressure on Nigerian authorities to ensure faster intervention whenever citizens face threats outside the country.
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