The National Assembly has suspended all official visits to South Africa and directed lawmakers, officials and staff to boycott legislative activities hosted or organised by South African authorities until further notice.
The decision was contained in a statement issued on Friday by the spokesman for the House of Representatives, Akin Rotimi.
The statement said the leadership of the National Assembly, led by Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen, directed the Clerk to communicate the decision to senators, members, committees, departments and other officials.
The move followed concerns over reports of continued xenophobic attacks, violence, intimidation and destruction of property targeting Nigerians and other African nationals in South Africa.
The National Assembly expressed particular concern over reports of Nigerians being killed, injured, displaced and forced to abandon their businesses, investments, homes and other properties.
It said the incidents had persisted despite repeated appeals by the Federal Government and other stakeholders for South African authorities to take decisive action to protect Nigerians and other foreign nationals and prosecute perpetrators of xenophobic violence.
The Clerk to the National Assembly, Kamoru Ogunlana, said the decision followed consultations between the leadership of the Senate and the House of Representatives.
Under the directive, all official visits to South Africa by lawmakers, committees, officials and staff have been suspended.
The suspension also covers conferences, seminars, workshops, meetings, parliamentary exchanges and other legislative engagements organised, hosted, sponsored or co-sponsored by South African legislative authorities.
The National Assembly said the directive applies to both physical and virtual engagements.
It added that no lawmaker, committee, official or staff member would be permitted to participate in any such engagement during the suspension without the express approval of the National Assembly leadership.
All existing arrangements, invitations and proposed programmes involving official visits or legislative engagements in South Africa are also to be reviewed in line with the directive.
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The latest decision follows the National Assembly’s earlier condemnation of renewed xenophobic attacks in South Africa and its support for diplomatic efforts to address violence against Nigerians.
The National Assembly said the suspension would remain in force until further notice and could be reviewed by its leadership depending on developments.
It, however, stressed that the measure did not amount to a rejection of Nigeria’s longstanding diplomatic and people-to-people relationship with South Africa.
The statement noted that parliamentary diplomacy and inter-legislative cooperation remained important but should be based on mutual respect and a shared commitment to protecting lives, property and lawful enterprise.
