KEY POINTS

• Senate President Godswill Akpabio condemned the alleged killing of a Nigerian surgeon in South Africa.
• He called for joint action between Nigeria’s National Assembly and the South African Parliament over xenophobic attacks.
• Akpabio said Nigerians travelling or working legally abroad should not be subjected to violence or discrimination.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio has raised concerns over the alleged killing of a Nigerian surgeon in South Africa, describing the incident as disturbing and unacceptable.

Speaking during plenary at the Senate, Akpabio said the Nigerian doctor was reportedly attacked and killed by a South African mechanic in what he described as another example of growing xenophobic violence against Nigerians living or visiting the country.

He expressed sadness over the development and called for urgent action to protect Nigerians abroad from targeted attacks and discrimination.

Akpabio urged the Nigerian Senate and House of Representatives to work together in engaging the South African Parliament over the repeated attacks on Nigerians.

According to him, the issue should not be treated lightly, stressing that lawmakers in South Africa must openly discuss the incidents and take a clear position against xenophobic violence.

The Senate President said he had already taken “personal action” regarding the matter but insisted that stronger institutional engagement between both countries was necessary.

“I would like to see the South African Parliament debating this. I would like to see them questioning themselves,” he said during the plenary session.

“Videos Were Too Disturbing To Watch” – Akpabio

Akpabio disclosed that he watched videos related to the incident for more than one hour and described the content as deeply disturbing.

According to him, the graphic nature of the footage made the situation even more painful and highlighted the seriousness of the attacks Nigerians face abroad.

He noted that the reported killing of a professional surgeon by someone in a completely different profession showed the dangerous level of resentment and misinformation fueling xenophobic attacks.

The Senate President alleged that the Nigerian surgeon was attacked because the suspect believed the victim was taking jobs meant for South Africans.

Akpabio questioned the logic behind the alleged attack, noting that the victim was a medical surgeon while the attacker was reportedly a mechanic.

“You can imagine somebody, a surgeon from Nigeria, being lynched on the road by a mechanic in South Africa simply because he believed the Nigerian came to take his job,” he said.

He stressed that Nigerians travelling to South Africa for legitimate business, tourism, or professional work should not become targets of violence.