BEVERLY HILLS, February 22, (THEWILL) – Members of the National Youth Council of Nigeria have staged an anti-xenophobia protest outside the South African embassy in the capital, Abuja calling on the South African authorities to stop attacks on other African nationals.
The protesters carried placards such as “South Africa we say stop killing our people” and chanted slogans denouncing the attacks.
A protester told the BBC: “We are doing this because of the killings taking place in South Africa, we want to express our displeasure over that and urge them to take measures to address the situation.
“We presented a petition in which we want them to call their people to order. We have foreigners here and it will not be good if there are reprisal attacks that will not make the world a peaceful place to live.”
The South African ambassador to Nigeria, Lulu Louis Mnguni, received the petition and told the protesters his government was going to deal with the situation.
He apologised to Nigerians, and other foreigners involved in the recent xenophobic attacks declaring that the attacks were unfortunate and unwarranted despite “the frustration and anger should that people might be feeling”.
“We reiterate our view that South Africans are generally not xenophobic,” Mnguni said.
“We are deeply saddened by these acts of violence that have taken place against the foreign nationals, especially the Nigerians affected in these communities.
“The South African government is sorry for the destruction and wishes the injured a speedy recovery.
“If they were, we would not have such a high number of foreign nationals who have successfully integrated into communities all over the country.
“No amount of anger or frustration can justify the attacks on foreign nationals and the looting of their shops.
“We have dispatched a ministerial delegation to the affected communities in Johannesburg and Pretoria which is being led by the minister of home affairs, Malusi Gigaba, to address the issues in the area.
“Our government is doing everything possible to sensitise all South Africans that the country is an integral part of Africa and our success or failures cannot be isolated from that of Africa as a whole.
“We expect any issues of concern to South African citizens and residents to be resolved through peaceful dialogue.
“So many countries helped us in our fight against apartheid so it would be wrong to fight against these same nationals in our country.
“We can’t afford to forget where we are coming from so we are promoting this unity so that we can develop our respective countries and Africa as a whole.”
Meanwhile, Nigeria’s Consul General in South Africa, Amb. Uche Ajulu-Okeke, who visited affected homes and businesses, described the recent xenophobic attacks against Nigerians and other foreigners in that country as unfortunate.
“The Consulate General of Nigeria in South Africa went on a fact-finding and direct field assessment of the xenophobic attack sites,” she said.
“We visited seven locations in Pretoria West. At the first location, a garage, 29 cars, 80 Nigerian passports, welding and painting appliances and a restaurant were burnt while cash totalling R140, 000(N3.360m) were removed.
“The garage employed 26 Nigerians and six South Africans and was doing very well.
“I have made a contingency arrangement for Nigerian women and children to be evacuated to the High Commission in Pretoria and the Consulate in Johannesburg.
She said three Nigerians arrested during the attacks had been released following her intervention.
