Nigerian Students Funded Anti-Apartheid Struggle, Shettima Tells SA

Vice-President Kashim Shettima has urged West African leaders to confront xenophobic attacks in South Africa, reminding Pretoria that Nigerian students had deductions made from their scholarship allowances to finance liberation movements against apartheid.​

Addressing the 69th ECOWAS summit in Sierra Leone, Shettima called for the issue to be placed on the next African Union agenda. He said ECOWAS must speak with one voice to demonstrate that violence against African migrants is unacceptable.

He also said South Africa’s problems “do not lie with fellow Africans who are there to sell their skills.” Nigeria has evacuated 1,490 citizens from South Africa amid renewed attacks.

Key Points:

Shettima reminded South Africa of Nigeria’s role in the anti-apartheid struggle.
Deductions were made from Nigerian students’ scholarship allowances to fund liberation movements.
He called for the issue to be placed on the AU agenda.
ECOWAS must speak with one voice against xenophobia, he said.
Nigeria has evacuated 1,490 citizens from South Africa.

South Africa’s response to Nigeria’s diplomatic pressure and whether the AU takes up the issue.