Oshiomhole: Xenophobic attacks reveal that Nigerian lives are valued more than investment.

Senator Adams Oshiomhole, who represents Edo North, defended his proposal to nationalise MTN and other South African firms operating in Nigeria, arguing that the protection of Nigerian lives must outweigh foreign investment concerns amid a fresh wave of xenophobic attacks in South Africa.

He made these comments on Tuesday during an interview with Arise News, where he contended that Nigeria should adopt tougher economic measures against South African interests in response to the recurring assaults on Nigerians abroad.

“I am aware that MTN is quoted, and therefore Nigerian shareholders can hold on, but we take away the South African rights,” he said.

He further suggested that Nigeria consider restructuring the ownership of affected companies to secure local control.

“And because of the issue, I’m not sure of the legal status, that’s why I say you nationalise, and then you reprivatise it so that Nigerians can take it over, and the profit they are taking out of Nigeria will be retained here. There will be no South African share in it.”

The senator also mentioned other foreign financial institutions operating in the country, indicating that similar actions could be taken against them. Oshiomhole linked his stance to what he described as ongoing attacks on Nigerians in South Africa, asserting that economic pressure is needed to compel accountability.

He claimed that South African President Cyril Ramaphosa only publicly condemned attacks on foreigners after Nigeria applied diplomatic and economic pressure, though he offered no supporting evidence for this assertion.

During the interview, Oshiomhole defended his position against worries that such proposals might deter foreign investment, maintaining that safeguarding lives should take precedence over economic considerations.

“If anything leads to the death of Nigeria, what is the value of wealth to the dead? We don’t want investors who invest at the expense of human blood. Even in my poverty, I value my life,” he said.

When pressed on the possibility that nationalisation could frighten investors, he reiterated that the moral dimension was paramount.

“Is human economy, weight, or foreign investor, foreign dollar more important than the life of a Nigerian?” he asked.

Oshiomhole said repeated killings of Nigerians in South Africa had occurred without accountability.

“When a country, for the first time, kills Nigerians, they got away with it. Second time, they riot, they kill Nigerians, they got away with it. Third time, they kill Nigerians, they got away with it,” he said.

He also referred to past diplomatic engagements, noting that previous commitments had not halted the attacks.

“Under Buhari, there was an agreement. They broke it. They are killing Nigerians. Nobody is in prison for murder, extrajudicial murder,” he said.

He questioned the prioritisation of foreign investment over human lives.

“If you are a slave of wealth, if you are a slave of a foreign investor, even if that investor is blood‑soaked… what is money to the dead?” he asked.

He added that Nigeria should not continue to absorb losses while its citizens remain vulnerable abroad.

South Africa has in recent weeks witnessed renewed protests and attacks targeting foreign nationals in parts of Durban, Cape Town, East London and KwaZulu‑Natal.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has condemned the violence, describing the perpetrators as opportunists exploiting socio‑economic grievances.

“These are the acts of opportunists who are exploiting the legitimate grievances, particularly those of the poor, under the false guise of ‘community activism,’” he said.

In Nigeria, the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) has urged citizens in South Africa to stay alert and avoid confrontation, while confirming that the Nigerian Consulate in Johannesburg is engaging local authorities to ensure safety.

NiDCOM also said the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs is in talks