The House of Representatives on Tuesday resolved to investigate the human and economic toll of repeated xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in South Africa, with a view to documenting victims’ losses, pursuing compensation where applicable and strengthening diplomatic efforts to protect Nigerians living abroad.
The decision followed the adoption of a motion sponsored by Babajimi Benson, representing Ikorodu Federal Constituency of Lagos State, who said the absence of a comprehensive record of casualties and economic losses had undermined Nigeria’s ability to effectively seek justice for affected citizens.
Benson argued that while successive governments had condemned the attacks and lodged diplomatic protests, the country lacked verified data to support policy decisions and negotiations.
He said, “Condemnation and diplomatic protests without a corresponding institutional effort to comprehensively document the losses suffered by Nigerians have denied the Federal Government and the National Assembly an authoritative evidential basis for policy formulation, legislative intervention and sustained
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