Nigeria’s Vice President, Kashim Shettima, has voiced strong condemnation over recent xenophobic attacks targeting Nigerian nationals abroad, issuing a firm declaration that the Federal Government will no longer tolerate the mistreatment or dehumanization of its citizens living in foreign countries.

Speaking during a high-level diplomatic gathering, Shettima emphasized that the safety, dignity, and rights of Nigerians within the diaspora remain top strategic priorities for the current administration. He noted that while Nigeria continues to welcome, protect, and integrate foreign nationals doing business within its borders, it expects similar courtesy, respect, and institutional protection for its own citizens residing abroad.

Addressing systemic xenophobic violence, arbitrary detentions, and extrajudicial harassment faced by Nigerians in host countries, the Vice President warned that diplomatic tolerance has reached its limit. He asserted that the Nigerian government is actively re-evaluating its bilateral engagements and will deploy all available diplomatic, legal, and economic channels to ensure that foreign authorities hold perpetrators of violence accountable and guarantee the safety of Nigerian communities.

Furthermore, Shettima highlighted the invaluable contributions of the Nigerian diaspora to global economies, research, healthcare, and innovation, stressing that isolated criminal incidents involving individuals should never be used to justify generalized discrimination or violent targeted attacks against an entire community. He urged host governments to enforce their domestic laws impartially, eliminate institutional bias, and collaborate closely with Nigerian diplomatic missions to resolve conflicts constructively.

Through this stern posture, the Federal Government aims to signal a decisive shift toward assertive protective diplomacy, ensuring that Nigerian citizens across the globe receive equal justice, safety, and respect.