President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has condemned the targeting and mistreatment of migrants across parts of Africa, warning that such actions undermine continental unity and shared values.
Tinubu spoke at the Africa Forward Summit held at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre in Nairobi, where he delivered a plenary address on peace and security.
He said migration remains a natural and historical feature of human civilisation and should not be criminalised or met with violence.
“Migration is a fact of history of human civilisations across generations. Migration is not a crime, and migrants should not be subjected to jungle justice in utter disregard of their basic rights,” the President said.
The Nigerian leader cautioned against the politicisation of migration, noting that migrants are often scapegoated for socio-economic challenges in host countries.
He added that such narratives are sometimes exploited for political advantage, weakening international cooperation.
“Too often, the result is the weaponisation of migration—both by those who use fear of the outsider to fracture the very multilateralism we need,” Tinubu said.
Tinubu stressed that protecting migrants’ rights requires responsible leadership and stronger cooperation among African nations, warning that failure to act could threaten regional solidarity.
He also said no single country can manage migration challenges alone, calling for coordinated regional and international responses.
“Nigeria’s position remains unequivocal: no single nation—whether source, transit or destination—can manage migration in isolation,” he said.
The President further emphasised that migrants must be treated in line with the rule of law and basic human rights standards.
The summit brought together African leaders and policymakers to discuss peace, security and migration challenges across the continent.
