Nigerians up in arms over xenophobia
THE ISSUE of xenophobic attacks on Nigerians and other Africans in South Africa is taking on a new dimension that could worsen an already precarious situation.
While the Nigerian government is seeking diplomatic ways to resolve the problem with the announcement that a powerful delegation from the National Assembly is on its way to Pretoria to meet with counterparts in the South African Parliament, militant groups in the Niger Delta region are talking tough.
The Nigerian Senate on Wednesday appointed a seven-man delegation, led by Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, to visit South Africa to engage their fellow parliamentarians about xenophobic attacks on Nigerians and the destruction of their property in South Africa.
The Senate had on Tuesday, at its plenary, condemned in strong terms the recurrence of xenophobic attacks in South Africa, describing the violence as “extrajudicial killings” of Nigerians by the South African police and South Africans.
The Upper Chamber had also advised the Nigerian federal government to reconsider the country’s diplomatic ties with South Africa with a view to averting such attacks in South Africa.
However, while a diplomatic resolution is being sought by the Nigerian government, militant groups at a meeting in the Niger Delta on Wednesday reportedly gave a one-month ultimatum to South Africans living in Nigeria to leave the country and move their businesses elsewhere.
The threat from the militant groups – Niger Delta Watchdogs, Niger Delta Volunteers and Niger Delta Strike Force – is contained in a copy of a letter signed by their leaders and addressed to the Office of the South African High Commissioner in Nigeria.
In the letter, titled “Attack and killings of Nigerians living in South Africa”, the militants expressed anger that the South African police were shielding criminals and joining them in killing Nigerians.
“We will not fold our arms and allow this to continue. We therefore call on the Nigerian government to immediately close down all the businesses owned by South Africans in Nigeria,” the groups warned.
The South African firms reportedly listed in the letter include MTN, DStv, Eskom Nigeria, South African Breweries, Umgeni Water, Refresh Product, LTA Construction, Protea Hotels, Critical Rescue International, PEP Retail Stores, Woolworths, Truworths, Clover Industries, Oracle, Power Giant and Airtime.
“Fail(ure) to close down these companies within one month (and) we shall mobilise in full force and commence massive attacks on the above-mentioned South African-owned investments in Nigeria,” the groups threatened in the letter. – Toye Olori, Foreign Service