The federal government has said it would not severe diplomatic ties with South Africa due to the current spate of xenophobic attacks on Nigerian nationals in the foreign country.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, made the disclore on Friday when he appeared before the Senate Committee on Diaspora.
He said taking such action would not be in the interest of Nigerians in South Africa.
According to the minister, available statistics from the Nigeria High Commission in Pretoria indicated that over 800, 000 Nigerians are legally living in the South African country.
He noted that any attempt by the country to cut diplomatic relationship with the former apartheid nation, would greatly affect Nigerians and their huge investments there.
He said the special envoys dispatched to Johannesburg by President Muhammadu Buhari would return to Nigeria on Saturday (tomorrow ).
He explained that their report would guide the Nigerian leader to take a decisive action in the overall interest of the country.
