South Africa and Nigeria have agreed to strengthen cooperation on migration, crime and regional security following high-level talks in Abuja.
International Relations Minister Ronald Lamola, acting as President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Special Envoy, delivered a message to Nigerian President Bola Tinubu as the two countries sought to improve bilateral ties.
The discussions focused on organised crime and attacks on law enforcement officers during crime-fighting operations, among other concerns.
Both delegations reviewed feedback regarding the processing and arrest of over 500 Nigerian nationals in South Africa.
Lamola clarified that these law enforcement measures are evidence-based, targeting individual criminal conduct rather than profiling the broader, law-abiding Nigerian diaspora.
He also reaffirmed the government’s zero-tolerance approach to xenophobic violence.
The two countries also committed to resolving shared challenges through diplomacy and closer security cooperation.
VIDEO | SABC News Specialist Correspondent Sophie Mokoena on Lamola meeting Tibunu:
-Reporting by Blain Herman.
