The Initiative for Youth Awareness on Migration, Immigration, Development and Reintegration (IYAMIDR) Nigeria has called on the Nigerian government to impose diplomatic and economic consequences on South Africa over the recent xenophobic attacks against Nigerians, while urging authorities to provide comprehensive support for citizens who have returned home.

In a statement issued on July 1 and signed by the organisation’s Executive Director, Solomon Okoduwa, IYAMIDR commended the Federal Government and the Edo State Government for coordinating the rescue and safe return of Nigerians affected by the violence in Southern Africa.

The organisation, however, said the successful evacuation of victims should not mark the end of the government’s response, stressing that those responsible for failing to prevent the attacks must be held accountable.

According to IYAMIDR, the repeated incidents of xenophobic violence represent a political and moral failure on the part of South African authorities. It urged the Nigerian government to adopt targeted diplomatic and political sanctions, including a review of bilateral agreements and increased scrutiny of South African investments operating in Nigeria.

The group also called on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Presidency and the National Assembly to publish a clear sanctions and engagement framework within 14 days.

Beyond diplomatic action, IYAMIDR appealed to both the federal and state governments to establish an emergency Reintegration and Livelihood Fund for returnees.

It said many of those evacuated lost businesses, homes and livelihoods during the attacks and now require psychosocial support, medical care, skills assessment, housing assistance and financial grants to rebuild their lives.

The organisation stressed that any intervention fund should be transparent, independently monitored and include mechanisms through which beneficiaries can report delays or corruption.

IYAMIDR further urged the Edo State Government to move beyond receiving returnees by fully implementing its Reintegration Master Plan.

According to the group, the plan should focus on employment opportunities, cooperative financing, trauma counselling and community-based programmes aimed at restoring the dignity and economic independence of returnees.

The organisation maintained that the issue extends beyond South Africa, describing it as a test of Nigeria’s commitment to protecting its citizens wherever they may be.

IYAMIDR pledged to continue monitoring developments and advocating for justice, accountability and effective reintegration of Nigerians affected by the attacks.

A new data released by the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) shows that about 2,800 migrants arrived in Italy by sea in June, marking a 10% decrease compared with the previous month,

Since the beginning of 2026, a total of 14,388 migrants have reached Italy by sea, representing a 30% decline compared with the same period in 2025.

The UNHCR said that 56% of all arrivals so far this year have involved Lampedusa.

On the humanitarian front, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) estimates that 1,400 people lost their lives in the Mediterranean during the first six months of 2026. According to the agency, 62% of those deaths occurred along the central Mediterranean route.

Since January, Libya has remained the main country of departure, accounting for 83% of migrant landings in Italy. Algeria and Tunisia together accounted for a further 8%.

The UNHCR said that, between January and June, migrants from Bangladesh made up 30% of arrivals, followed by Somalia at 11% and Sudan at 10%.

The agency also reported that unaccompanied minors represented 19% of all sea arrivals during the first half of the year.

Between January and June 2026, 22% of people arriving by sea were rescued in the Mediterranean by non-governmental organisations, according to the UNHCR.

Pope Leo XIV has urged European countries to invest in the development of poorer nations to tackle the root causes of migration, saying no one should be forced to leave their homeland in search of safety or a better life.

The pontiff delivered the message on Saturday during a visit to the Italian island of Lampedusa, one of the main entry points for migrants crossing the Mediterranean into Europe. The trip combined prayer, remembrance and a renewed appeal for compassion toward migrants and refugees.

Speaking during Mass after visiting the island’s migrant cemetery and meeting new arrivals at the port, Pope Leo called on European leaders to adopt a comprehensive approach to migration that combines humanitarian assistance with long-term development initiatives.

“Speaking from this far-flung corner of Europe on the Mediterranean Sea,” the Pope urged governments to provide immediate relief while receiving, protecting, supporting and integrating migrants. He also called for greater investment in developing migrants’ countries of origin “so that no one is forced to leave.”

He praised the people of Lampedusa for what he described as the “miracle of compassion” they have shown in welcoming migrants over the years.

“This is a place where gestures speak louder than words,” Leo said. “But for gestures to be human, they need a heart.”

Reflecting on the thousands who have died attempting the dangerous Mediterranean crossing, the Pope said the victims continued to challenge the conscience of Europe.

“Here you have seen not just one, but thousands of human beings fallen into the hands of robbers who have taken everything from them, beat them brutally and walked away, leaving them half-dead,” he said. Referring to those who perished at sea, he added: “Yet we feel their presence, which challenges us no less than that of those who have landed in need of attention and aid.”

The visit carried significance beyond Europe. Earlier in the day, as the United States marked the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, the American-born Pope issued a message urging Americans to uphold the country’s tradition of welcoming immigrants.

In a July 4 letter, Leo said protecting human life includes “welcoming, protecting and assisting immigrants, whose hopes, sacrifices and contribution have formed part of the history of this country from its very beginning.” He added that receiving migrants with “compassion and generosity” is both an act of charity and recognition of the inherent dignity of every person.

The remarks come amid continuing tensions between the Vatican and the administration of President Donald Trump over immigration policies and mass deportations.

Lampedusa, located closer to North Africa than mainland Italy, has for years been at the centre of Europe’s migration crisis, serving as the first destination for hundreds of thousands of migrants departing from Libya and Tunisia, often aboard overcrowded boats operated by human traffickers.

According to Italy’s Interior Ministry, 14,464 migrants had reached the country by sea this year as of Friday, compared with 30,598 during the same period last year.

Despite the decline in arrivals, the International Organization for Migration estimates that more than 35,000 migrants have gone missing in the Mediterranean since 2014, with the actual toll believed to be significantly higher because many shipwrecks are never documented.

During his visit, Pope Leo laid a wreath of yellow and white flowers at Lampedusa’s migrant cemetery, where many graves are marked by simple wooden crosses fashioned from the remains of wrecked migrant boats.

The visit echoed that of Pope Francis, who chose Lampedusa for his first pastoral trip outside Rome in 2013 and condemned what he called the “globalization of indifference” toward migrants. Like his predecessor, Pope Leo used the island to renew the Church’s call for solidarity, insisting that addressing poverty, conflict and lack of opportunity in less developed nations remains essential to preventing forced migration.