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Xenophobia: ‘Over 400 Nigerians Ready For Evacuation From S’Africa’ …One Killed, Five Injured In Fresh Attacks
The Nigerian Mission in South Africa has said that no fewer than 400 Nigerians have indicated interest and registered to be evacuated from South Africa following the recent xenophobic attacks.
Nigeria’s Consul General in Johannesburg, Godwin Adama, said this in a telephone interview with newsmen, yesterday, in Abuja.
Adama noted that Air Peace had offered to airlift those willing to return home sequel to the attacks on Nigerians and their businesses by South Africans.
According to him, the first batch of Nigerians who are willing to return home would be repatriated on Wednesday.
“We have more than enough for that aircraft. Over 400 Nigerians have already registered; more are still coming”, he said.
The Nigerian High Commissioner to South Africa, Kabiru Bala, also said that Nigerians had responded positively in good numbers.
Bala said that the mission was equally responding to the needs of those willing to return, especially those who had issues with their documents.
“We are documenting them. Those without travel documents, we shall provide them with Emergency Travel Certificates.
“There are other governmental procedures that we must observe. Relevant agencies of government in Nigeria must be informed and must be ready to receive the returnees.
“Hard work is now going on at the High Commission and Consulate in this regard. As soon as all procedures and relevant protocols are observed, the return is assured and guaranteed.
“A little more patience will be helpful. The response of Nigerians is just amazing,’’ Bala said.
President, Nigeria Citizens Association, South Africa, Ben Okoli, said all efforts were geared towards the evacuation of those who were ready to come back home.
Okoli said the figure of those ready to come was in hundreds as many had lost their means of livelihood and had nothing to fall back on.
Meanwhile, two persons were stabbed, yesterday, in a resurgence of xenophobic protests in Johannesburg, South Africa.
The President, Nigerian Union South Africa, Adetola Olubajo, confirmed this to our correspondent in a telephone interview.
He, however, could not speak on the nationalities of the victims or the severity of the injuries as the police had yet to reveal the identities of the victims.
Olubajo said, “It’s confirmed that two people were stabbed by Taxi Rank and Jeppe Road in Johannesburg Central Business District, and we have informed the Consul-General of Nigeria in Johannesburg and the police in Jeppestown.
“I’m not sure (of their nationalities) as the police have taken them to hospital. Their identities were not disclosed. The police are using rubber bullets to disperse them.”
According to the NUSA president, there was a meeting yesterday morning which the police minister was supposed to address.
He said a popular South African activist, Mangosuthu Buthelezi, addressed the South Africans, calling for peace, but some of the protesters got angry and left.
Olubajo added, “Now, they are chanting ‘foreigners must go’ with some dangerous weapons in their hands. They have moved from Jeppestown to Bramfontein even to the CBD Taxi Rank in town.
“Though we have been monitoring the incident for the past three hours now, police have not been able to disperse them. Our fear is that they may start looting again in the night.
“We have sent an alert to the Nigerians. Immediately, we used our various social media platforms to do that. We sent it to our structures and the entirety of Nigerians. Most Nigerians are aware of this by now because there are photos and videos, and it is also televised by SABC.”
He noted that a lot of Nigerians lived in the affected area though some had relocated because last Sunday’s looting and vandalism of Nigerian businesses by South Africans occurred in the same area.
“Quite a number of our people live around Jeppestown and Fountain. We are talking about Johannesburg, which is very big but Jeppestown is close the eastern part of Johannesburg where those hostiles.
“Jules Street is closer to them; it’s a major road they would take to the CBD. MTN Taxi Rank is the major bus stop there. They have virtually captured that taxi rank and Bramfontein,” Olubajo explained.
However, one person has been killed in renewed xenophobic attacks in Johannesburg, South Africa, police have confirmed.
According to news24.com, Gauteng police spokesperson, Captain Kay Makhubele, also confirmed that five people had been injured.
The casualties were also confirmed by the President, Nigerian Union South Africa, Adetola Olubajo, in a text message to our correspondent, which read, “Police has confirmed one person dead and five injured.”
A group of men, some of whom wielded sticks, pangas and tree branches, reportedly marched through the city centre after disrupting a meeting in which the President Emeritus of the Inkatha Freedom Party, Mangosuthu Buthelezi, spoke to hostel residents following a week of deadly xenophobic violence.
Makhubele said 16 people were arrested for public violence and possession of stolen property.
Several shops were forced to close their doors as the protesters damaged property and looted several businesses.
Meanwhile, NUSA is calling on all Nigerians to stay away from hot spots where the ongoing violent protest march by Zulu hostel dwellers in Johannesburg is taking place and equally be at alert as it may spread across the province of Gauteng and beyond.
The Publicity Secretary of the union, Habib Salihu, in a statement, yesterday, said this was to avoid a repeat of the violence recorded last week which led to “monumental loss of properties and innocent lives.”
The Zulu hostel dwellers were said to have walked out and disrupted a gathering which was being addressed by Buthelezi earlier, yesterday and marched around Jules street towards MTN taxi rank and Bramfontein chanting “foreigners must leave the country” songs.
The statement read, “The demonstration is still ongoing, hence we have warned/alerted our people/structures through various media platforms affiliated with our organisation.
“We urge the law enforcement agents to please be proactive in dealing with the prevalent situation so that lives and properties of inhabitants in the Republic, especially African foreign migrants that appear to be the primary target, are protected.
“Our mission in Johannesburg has been informed.”
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that it has now received a total of 129 applications from associations seeking registration as political parties.
The update was provided during the commission’s regular weekly meeting held in Abuja, yesterday.
According to a statement signed by the National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, seven new applications were submitted within the past week, adding to the previous number.
“At its regular weekly meeting held today, Thursday 10th July 2025, the commission received a further update on additional requests from associations seeking registration as political parties.
“Since last week, seven more applications have been received, bringing the total number so far to 129. All the requests are being processed,” the commission stated.
The commission revealed the introduction of a new digital platform for political party registration. The platform is part of the Party Financial Reporting and Auditing System and aims to streamline the registration process.
Olumekun disclosed that final testing of the portal would be completed within the next week.
“INEC also plans to release comprehensive guidelines to help associations file their applications using the new system.
“Unlike the manual method used in previous registration, the Commission is introducing a political party registration portal, which is a module in our Party Financial Reporting and Auditing System.
“This will make the process faster and seamless. In the next week, the commission will conclude the final testing of the portal before deployment.
“Thereafter, the next step for associations that meet the requirements to proceed to the application stage will be announced. The commission will also issue guidelines to facilitate the filing of applications using the PFRAS,” the statement added.
In the meantime, the list of new associations that have submitted applications has been made available to the public on INEC’s website and other official platforms.
President Bola Tinubu yesterday signed into law four tax reform bills aimed at transforming Nigeria’s fiscal and revenue framework.
The four bills include: the Nigeria Tax Bill, the Nigeria Tax Administration Bill, the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Bill, and the Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Bill.
They were passed by the National Assembly after months of consultations with various interest groups and stakeholders.
The ceremony took place at the Presidential Villa, yesterday.
The ceremony was witnessed by the leadership of the National Assembly and some legislators, governors, ministers, and aides of the President.
The presidency had earlier stated that the laws would transform tax administration in the country, increase revenue generation, improve the business environment, and give a boost to domestic and foreign investments.
“When the new tax laws become operational, they are expected to significantly transform tax administration in the country, leading to increased revenue generation, improved business environment, and a boost in domestic and foreign investments,” Special Adviser to the President on Media, Bayo Onanuga said on Wednesday.
Before the signing of the four bills, President Tinubu had earlier yesterday, said the tax reform bills will reset Nigeria’s economic trajectory and simplify its complex fiscal landscape.
Announcing the development via his official X handle, yesterday, the President declared, “In a few hours, I will sign four landmark tax reform bills into law, ushering in a bold new era of economic governance in our country.”
Tinubu made a call to investors and citizens alike, saying, “Let the world know that Nigeria is open for business, and this time, everyone has a fair shot.”
He described the bills as not just technical adjustments but a direct intervention to ease burdens on struggling Nigerians.
“These reforms go beyond streamlining tax codes. They deliver the first major, pro-people tax cuts in a generation, targeted relief for low-income earners, small businesses, and families working hard to make ends meet,” Tinubu wrote.
According to the President, “They will unify our fragmented tax system, eliminate wasteful duplications, cut red tape, restore investor confidence, and entrench transparency and coordination at every level.”
He added that the long-standing burden of Nigeria’s tax structure had unfairly weighed down the vulnerable while enabling inefficiency.
The tax reforms, first introduced in October 2024, were part of Tinubu’s post-subsidy-removal recovery plan, aimed at expanding revenue without stifling productivity.
However, the bills faced turbulence at the National Assembly and amongst some state governors who rejected its passing in 2024.
At the NASS, the bills sparked heated debate, particularly around the revenue-sharing structure, which governors from the North opposed.
They warned that a shift toward derivation-based allocations, especially with VAT, could tilt fiscal balance in favour of southern states with stronger consumption bases.
After prolonged dialogue, the VAT rate remained at 7.5 per cent, and a new exemption was introduced to shield minimum wage earners from personal income tax.
By May 2025, the National Assembly passed the harmonised versions with broad support, driven in part by pressure from economic stakeholders and international observers who welcomed the clarity and efficiency the reforms promised.
In his tweet, Tinubu stressed that this is just the beginning of Nigeria’s tax evolution.
“We are laying the foundation for a tax regime that is fair, transparent, and fit for a modern, ambitious Nigeria.
“A tax regime that rewards enterprise, protects the vulnerable, and mobilises revenue without punishing productivity,” he stated.
He further acknowledged the contributions of the Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reform Committee, the National Assembly, and Nigeria’s subnational governments.
The President added, “We are not just signing tax bills but rewriting the social contract.
“We are not there yet, but we are firmly on the road.”
The Senate has issued a 10-day ultimatum to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) over its failure to appear before the Senate Committee on Public Accounts probing alleged financial discrepancies amounting to over ?210 trillion in its audited reports from 2017 to 2023.
Despite being summoned, no officials or external auditors from NNPCL showed up yesterday.
However, representatives from the representatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission and Department of State Services were present.
Angered by the NNPCL’s absence, the committee, yesterday, issued a 10-day ultimatum, demanding the company’s top executives to appear before the panel by July 10 or face constitutional sanctions.
A letter from NNPCL’s Chief Financial Officer, Dapo Segun, dated June 25, was read at the session.
It cited an ongoing management retreat and requested a two-month extension to prepare necessary documents and responses.
The letter partly read, “Having carefully reviewed your request, we hereby request your kind consideration to reschedule the engagement for a period of two months from now to enable us to collate the requested information and documentation.
“Furthermore, members of the Board and the senior management team of NNPC Limited are currently out of the office for a retreat, which makes it difficult to attend the rescheduled session on Thursday, 26th June, 2025.
“While appreciating the opportunity provided and the importance of this engagement, we reassure you of our commitment to the success of this exercise. Please accept the assurances of our highest regards.”
But lawmakers rejected the request.
The Committee Chairman, Senator Aliyu Wadada, said NNPCL was not expected to submit documents, but rather provide verbal responses to 11 key questions previously sent.
“For an institution like NNPCL to ask for two months to respond to questions from its own audited records is unacceptable,” Wadada stated.
“If they fail to show up by July 10, we will invoke our constitutional powers. The Nigerian people deserve answers,” he warned.
Other lawmakers echoed similar frustrations.
Senator Abdul Ningi (Bauchi Central) insisted that NNPCL’s Group CEO, Bayo Ojulari, must personally lead the delegation at the next hearing.
The Tide reports that Ojulari took over from Mele Kyari on April 2, 2025.
Senator Onyekachi Nwebonyi (Ebonyi North) said the two-month request suggested the company had no answers, but the committee would still grant a fair hearing by reconvening on July 10.
Senator Victor Umeh (Anambra Central) warned the NNPCL against undermining the Senate, saying, “If they fail to appear again, Nigerians will know the Senate is not a toothless bulldog.”
Last week, the Senate panel grilled Segun and other top executives over what they described as “mind-boggling” irregularities in NNPCL’s financial statements.
The Senate flagged ?103 trillion in accrued expenses, including ?600 billion in retention fees, legal, and auditing costs—without supporting documentation.
Also questioned was another ?103 trillion listed under receivables. Just before the hearing, NNPCL submitted a revised report contradicting the previously published figures, raising more concerns.
The committee has demanded detailed answers to 11 specific queries and warned that failure to comply could trigger legislative consequences.