Nigeria’s National Assembly has suspended all official visits to South Africa and ordered a boycott of legislative activities hosted or organised by the country until further notice, over renewed reports of xenophobic attacks against Nigerians and other African nationals.

The decision was contained in a statement signed by the Clerk to the National Assembly, Kamoru Ogunlana, Esq., on behalf of the leadership of the Senate and House of Representatives.

The National Assembly leadership said it was deeply concerned by the continued violence, intimidation, destruction of property and other forms of hostility directed at Nigerians and other African nationals living in South Africa.

It said the decision was taken in response to the failure of repeated appeals by the Nigerian government and other stakeholders for South African authorities to take decisive action to protect Nigerians and other foreign nationals and bring perpetrators of xenophobic attacks to justice.

Under the resolution, all official visits to South Africa by lawmakers, National Assembly committees, officials and staff have been suspended.

The boycott also covers conferences, seminars, workshops, parliamentary meetings, legislative exchanges and other activities organised or hosted by South African legislative authorities.

The National Assembly further directed that its officials and lawmakers should not participate in South African-hosted legislative programmes either physically or through virtual or online platforms.

The Clerk to the National Assembly, Kamoru Ogunlana, has consequently been directed to communicate the decision to senators, members of the House of Representatives, committees, departments, directorates, officials and staff for strict compliance.

However, the National Assembly stressed that the decision was not intended to undermine the longstanding diplomatic, historical and people-to-people relations between Nigeria and South Africa.

Rather, it described the move as a strong expression of concern over the safety, dignity and welfare of Nigerians living and conducting legitimate businesses in South Africa.

The lawmakers called on the South African government to urgently protect Nigerians and other African nationals, prevent further xenophobic attacks, thoroughly investigate reported incidents, arrest suspected perpetrators and prosecute those found culpable.

The National Assembly also urged State Houses of Assembly to take note of the decision and consider adopting similar measures.

It said the suspension and boycott would remain in force until further notice and would be subject to review as circumstances warrant.

… demands justice

The Nigerian Citizens Association South Africa (NICASA) has condemned the killing of Bishop Taiwo Michael Fakunle, a 58-year-old Nigerian citizen, in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Fakunle was reportedly killed on Friday at his residence in Kensington, Johannesburg.

In a statement, NICASA President, Rev. Frank Onyekwelu, said the Nigerian community was shocked, outraged and deeply saddened by the bishop’s death.

Onyekwelu said preliminary information indicated that two suspects gained access to Fakunle’s residence and opened fire on him, reportedly shooting him more than seven times.

He said the killing of Fakunle, who hailed from Iye, Ilejemeje Local Government Area of Ekiti State, was more than an ordinary loss of life, describing it as a tragedy that had deeply affected the Nigerian community in South Africa.

Onyekwelu vowed that NICASA would pursue justice through every legitimate and lawful channel available.

The association called on the South African Police Service (SAPS) to conduct a thorough investigation into the killing and ensure that those responsible were brought to justice.

“We therefore make a strong and unequivocal call on the South African Police Service and every relevant government authority to pursue this matter with the highest level of urgency, professionalism and transparency.

“We demand a thorough and credible investigation that will establish exactly what happened, identify all those responsible, apprehend the perpetrators and ensure that they are brought before the courts to face the full might of the law.”

He stressed, “This was not merely an ordinary loss of life; it was a horrific and senseless act of violence that has robbed a family of a loved one and the Nigerian community of another precious life.

“NICASA condemns this barbaric killing in the strongest possible terms. Enough is enough.

“The continued loss of Nigerian lives through violent crime is deeply disturbing and cannot be allowed to become normal or treated as just another statistic. Every Nigerian life is valuable, and every murder deserves justice.”

Onyekwelu said the Consulate General of Nigeria in Johannesburg has been informed of the tragic incident.

We also note that a murder case has been opened at Jeppe Police Station, and investigations are currently ongoing.

We therefore make a strong and unequivocal call on the South African Police Service and every relevant government authority to pursue this matter with the highest level of urgency, professionalism and transparency.

We demand a thorough and credible investigation that will establish exactly what happened, identify all those responsible, apprehend the perpetrators and ensure that they are brought before the courts to face the full might of the law.”

He added, “The family deserves answers. The Nigerian community deserves justice. Bishop Taiwo deserves justice.

“NICASA further called on the Nigerian diplomatic authorities in South Africa to continue engaging the relevant South African authorities and to closely monitor the progress of the investigation until justice is served.

“We appeal to the South African authorities: Please do not allow this case to go cold. Do not allow another Nigerian life lost to violence to become another forgotten file. We expect accountability and justice.

“At this extremely painful moment, NICASA extends its deepest and heartfelt condolences to the immediate family of the late Bishop Taiwo Michael Fakunle, his relatives, friends, church community, fellow Ekiti indigenes and the entire Nigerian community.

“We pray that Almighty God will grant the family strength, comfort and the fortitude to bear this devastating loss. May the soul of Bishop Taiwo Michael Fakunle rest in perfect peace.

“NICASA equally calls on all Nigerians and Nigerian community leaders across South Africa to remain calm, peaceful and strictly law-abiding. We must not take the law into our own hands or allow our grief and anger to lead to further violence.

“We will pursue justice through every legitimate and lawful channel available to us.

“NICASA will continue to engage the relevant authorities and will follow the investigation closely, because the pursuit of justice for Bishop Taiwo is a responsibility we must not abandon.”

He added, “Enough of the killings. Nigerian lives matter. Justice for Bishop Taiwo Michael Fakunle.”

Federal Character Commission (FCC) has urged Enugu youths to stop disqualifying themselves from federal employment and other opportunities through fear, misinformation and the erroneous belief that government jobs are already reserved before they are advertised.

The Commission’s Executive Chairman, Hon. Hulayât Motunrayo Omidiran, gave the charge on Thursday at the International Conference Centre (ICC), Enugu, during the Peter Eze Enugu Youth Connect 2026, themed “Beyond Quotas: Unlocking Opportunities for Enugu Youths Through the Federal Character Commission.”

Declaring the event open, the Deputy Governor of Enugu State, Ifeanyi Ossai, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, challenged the youths to prepare themselves for opportunities, stressing that government could open doors but individuals must possess the capacity to walk through them.

Onyia said the time had come to stop viewing young people as merely “leaders of tomorrow,” noting that they were already playing critical roles in the development of society.

He urged the youths to acquire knowledge, develop relevant skills, build competitive Curriculum Vitaes and take advantage of every opportunity to improve themselves.

According to him, opportunities would not always be available to people who were unprepared, stressing that preparation was an important part of succeeding in a competitive environment.

He encouraged the participants to listen carefully, take notes and continuously improve their knowledge and skills, noting that “no knowledge is wasted.”

The SSG also emphasised the importance of confidence and self-knowledge, urging the youths to understand their strengths and continually ask themselves what they could do to improve their circumstances

.He said government had a responsibility to create an enabling environment where young people could learn and apply their skills, while the youths themselves must take responsibility for preparing for the opportunities that would come their way.

Onyia commended the organisers of the youth-focused programme, saying initiatives that connect young people with opportunities were important to the development of Enugu State.

He said the state government was committed to investing in young people because of their central role in driving innovation, productivity and economic transformation.

In a Keynote address, the Federal Character Commission Executive Chairman, Omidiran, said the Federal Character principle should go beyond numerical representation to ensure that qualified Nigerians had a fair opportunity to participate meaningfully in national development.

She urged Enugu youths to prepare themselves, acquire relevant skills, embrace technology and actively pursue legitimate opportunities, stressing that equity and merit must work together in building a progressive society.

She said an opportunity might open a door, but competence, character and performance would determine how far an individual could advance.

The FCC chairman also warned youths against fraudulent recruitment schemes and deceptive offers, urging them to authenticate opportunities before applying.
She charged the youths to “dream boldly, prepare intelligently, work diligently, lead responsibly and serve selflessly,” while encouraging them to think nationally and compete globally.

Earlier, the FCC Commissioner representing Enugu State, Hon. Peter Ogbonna Eze, said the programme was organised to bridge the information gap preventing many young people from accessing employment, scholarships, grants, fellowships, training and other legitimate opportunities.
Eze said there were more than 700 Federal Government ministries, departments, agencies, commissions and other establishments providing employment and other opportunities across the country.

He explained that the FCC had the constitutional responsibility to promote equitable representation and ensure that federal institutions complied with the principles of federal character.
According to him, many Enugu youths had missed opportunities because of the erroneous belief that advertised federal jobs had already been shared or given to people before public advertisement.
He urged the youths not to allow such assumptions to discourage them from applying.

“No player has ever won a football match outside the pitch. You can barely get an opportunity you do not apply for,” Eze said.
He further warned that nobody should pay for a legitimate government job, stressing that anyone demanding money in exchange for federal employment should be reported through the appropriate channels.

“You do not need to buy a job; you need to prepare yourself,” he said.
Eze said the Peter Eze Youth Connect initiative was designed to connect young people with credible information, institutions and opportunities, rather than create dependence on godfathers and middlemen.

He said the initiative would expose participants to opportunities in federal employment, grants, scholarships, fellowships, training programmes, entrepreneurship and other areas of personal and economic advancement.
He disclosed that a full scholarship opportunity would be offered through the programme, with five persons to be selected from the participants.

Eze said his vision was to make the programme a continuing platform through which information about opportunities would reach young people across Enugu State.
“If I know that something can change the life of a young person from Enugu State, I believe that the young person should hear about it. If I can open a door, I should open it. If I can connect someone to the right person, I should make the connection, ” he said.
He urged participants to become “ambassadors of opportunity” by sharing useful information and helping others benefit from opportunities they discover.

Participants at the event
The commissioner said true empowerment was not about merely handing someone assistance and taking photographs, but about providing people with the knowledge, skills, information, access and opportunities required to stand on their own and build sustainable futures.
He called on the youths to improve their CVs, acquire relevant skills and remain prepared for opportunities, noting that technology and the job market were constantly changing.

The programme brought together young people and stakeholders across Enugu state to deepen understanding of the mandate of the Federal Character Commission, federal representation and pathways to employment, education, skills development and other opportunities.

The organisers said the initiative was built on the conviction that a young person cannot pursue an opportunity they do not know exists, with the broader vision of producing informed, confident and opportunity-ready youths capable of competing and contributing meaningfully to Nigeria’s development.

The event’s central message was clear: connect, learn, prepare and pursue opportunities rather than wait for them.