Killing of Nigerians in South Africa: FG sends strong message to South African government
-Few weeks ago, the a
report made the rounds, suggesting that over a hundred Nigerians have
been killed in South Africa, within two years.
The
Federal Government had asked the South African Government to
investigate and punish those involved in the killing of a Nigerian in
Johannesburg in December last year.
It also called on Pretoria to end extrajudicial killings, criminalisation of immigrants and xenophobic attacks in South Africa.
Special
Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Abike
Dabiri-Erewa, who visited the South African High Commissioner to
Nigeria, Lulu Mnguni, in Abuja on Tuesday 7th February sought assurances that xenophobic attacks against Nigerians by South Africans would be stopped.
Killing of Nigerians in South Africa: FG sends strong message to South African government
Her visit was sequel to the killing of a Nigerian, Tochukwu Nnadi, in December last year by South African police officers. Nnadi was choked to death for allegedly dealing in hard drug.
Dabiri-Erewa
complained that over 116 Nigerians were killed within two years in
South Africa. She said 63 per cent of the extrajudicial killings were
carried out by the police.
She expressed
sadness over the criminalisation of Nigerians by South Africans, noting
that Nigeria and South Africa should rather be engaging in cooperation
that could lead to social-economic development as the ‘two giants of
Africa.’
Dabiri-Erewa - President Muhammadu
Buhari’s senior special aide, has dropped hints that Nigeria may
consider reprisal over renewed xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in South
Africa.
The adviser said the country’s
patience was being tried with the renewed attacks and has also called on
the African Union (AU), to prevail on the South African government, to “take decisive and definitive measures to protect Nigerian citizens and other Africans within that country’s borders.”
In
a statement made on Monday, February 20, the presidential aide decried
the renewed xenophobic attacks on Nigerians and other Africans in South
Africa.
Dabiri-Erewa said the Nigerian
community in South Africa, led by Ikechukwu Anyene, has confirmed the
attacks and looting of Nigerian-owned businesses in Pretoria West on
Saturday. She quoted Anyene as saying that the union had reported the
incident to the Nigeria mission and South African police.
“As we speak, five buildings with Nigerian businesses, including a church, have been looted and burned by South Africans”.
She said the attention of the AU was being called upon to intervene
because there is credible information that more xenophobic attacks
against foreigners will take place between February 22 and 23, 2017.
Comments
Post a Comment