Nigerian human rights advocate Francis Nwapa has accused South African President Cyril Ramaphosa of allowing xenophobic attacks against Nigerians and other foreign nationals to escalate, citing what he described as the government’s inaction and silence.

In a statement issued on April 27, 2026, Nwapa criticised an incident in which a Nigerian man and his son were reportedly denied entry into a public facility in South Africa despite presenting valid identification.

A video circulating online shows a group of South Africans confronting the man and his child, questioning his right to be there. The situation intensified as the group, mostly women, insisted he had no access rights, while the man defended his legal status. The confrontation eventually led to the gate being locked, preventing him and others from entering.

In a separate but related case, another video captured a Nigerian businessman being harassed by locals during rising anti-immigrant tensions. The trader, visibly distressed, was surrounded and told to leave the area immediately despite explaining that he had lived and worked in the country for years and was supporting his family there. The group dismissed his explanation and warned him to leave with his family without delay.

These incidents reflect a broader pattern of xenophobic hostility in South Africa, particularly targeting fellow Africans. While the South African Police Service condemned such acts as unlawful and contrary to constitutional values, Nwapa described them as part of a growing trend of discrimination and violence.

He argued that, regardless of Nigeria’s internal challenges, the responsibility for safeguarding the rights and dignity of foreigners in South Africa lies with the country’s leadership. He also criticised what he called a contradiction in South Africa’s global stance on justice, pointing out that while the government advocates for human rights internationally, it allegedly fails to address abuses within its borders.

Nwapa further claimed that perpetrators of xenophobic attacks act with impunity, emboldened by a lack of arrests and decisive government action. He suggested that economic frustrations in South Africa are being wrongly directed at foreign nationals instead of underlying systemic issues.

Calling for urgent intervention, he urged President Ramaphosa to take firm steps to curb xenophobia, warning that continued inaction could worsen divisions across the continent and damage Africa’s collective unity.