South Africa has arrested about 80 suspected members of vigilante groups accused of carrying out attacks on migrants and engaging in other criminal activities, the country’s Consul-General to Nigeria, Prof. Bobby Moroe, has said.

Moroe disclosed that the suspects were apprehended in five to six provinces as security agencies intensified efforts to restore order and ensure those responsible for the attacks face justice.

He spoke on Wednesday in Lagos during the Nigeria-South Africa Chamber of Commerce Breakfast Forum, which focused on “The Future of Nigeria-South Africa Relations: Advancing Bilateral Cooperation in a Changing World.”

The envoy stressed that the South African government neither condones nor supports attacks on migrants, maintaining that the country’s Constitution guarantees protection for everyone, regardless of their immigration status.

He said, “In South Africa, we have witnessed acts of criminality by vigilante groups calling for illegal migrants to return home and taking the law into their own hands.

“But let me be clear on behalf of my government that the South African Constitution protects both regular and irregular migrants.”

Moroe added that immigration enforcement remains the responsibility of authorised state institutions.

“Only competent law enforcement agencies and immigration officers have the legal standing to deal with migration issues,” he said.

Rejecting allegations that the South African authorities were behind attacks on Nigerians and other foreign nationals, the diplomat described such claims as unfounded.

He said, “In Nigeria, we have seen direct reprisals and pushbacks as a direct response to what is perceived as an onslaught by the South African government against migrants. I can tell you for free, this is fake news.

“These acts of criminality by groups taking the law into their own hands do not represent the sentiments of South Africans.

“The government condemns all acts of criminality and violations of human rights against any individual, whether a South African national or a foreigner, because the Constitution protects everybody. No individual in South Africa is allowed to take the law into their own hands.”

Moroe said the authorities were determined to restore calm and prosecute those behind the attacks.

“We are working daily to stabilise the environment and bring perpetrators to book. About 80 people involved in these acts of criminality and members of vigilante groups have been arrested in about five to six provinces, and the law is taking its due course,” he said.

The Consul-General also urged Nigeria and South Africa to build on more than three decades of diplomatic relations, noting that the partnership had remained strong despite occasional disagreements.

He acknowledged Nigeria’s contribution to South Africa’s anti-apartheid struggle and expressed optimism that the relationship between the two countries would continue to flourish.