More Nigerians are reacting to xenophobic attacks on Nigerians and other Africans living in South Africa even as President Muhammadu Buhari assures the public that the situation will be addressed.
Buhari has said that the presidency is “sending a special envoy to President Cyril Ramaphosa to share a deep concern about the security of Nigerian lives and property in South Africa’’.
Noble Youths Mass Support Association, a non-governmental organisation, expressed concern about the killing of people and attacks on businesses of Nigerians in South Africa.
In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Wednesday, Mr Godwin Onmonya, the National Coordinator of the group, described the attacks as disheartening.
He said that South Africa must remember the historical contributions of the Nigerian government and people to the anti apartheid struggle for its liberation and reciprocate the brotherly gesture to Nigerians.
Also, some youths in Lugbe, a satellite district of Abuja on Wednesday, protested against the killings and destruction of businesses of Nigerians by South Africans in South Africa.
The youth, more than100 persons, made bonfire and setting fire on the large MTN billboard on the highway.
NAN reports that the protest witnessed the presence of a large number of plain-cloth policemen who tried to calm down the angry youths.
In Calabar, the police have deployed its men to South African business interests, including DStv and MTN Nigeria in various locations of the state,
However, the presence of the policemen did not prevent people from entering to transact their businesses on Wednesday.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Irene Igbo said “we have information that some people were planning to attack those facilities in retaliation for xenophobic attack on Nigerians in that country.
“So we decided to deploy our men to forestall such attack. We are aware that the Federal Government is already doing something in that regard.’’
Mr Bobby Moroe, Acting High Commissioner of South Africa to Nigeria, said that citizens of both countries should find urgent measures towards finding solution to the attacks.
“Every government is responsible for the protection of the lives and propertyof its citizens, we strongly condemn all forms of criminal activities, whether it is xenophobia or whatever it is called; they are not good for us,’’ he said.
Afraid of reprisal, South African grocer Shoprite Holdings says it has closed several stores in its home market, Nigeria and Zambia.
The firm said in a statement on Wednesday that extensive damage had been done to several supermarkets due to attacks on foreign nationals in South Africa.
But South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said that he was committed to quelling attacks on foreigners that have threatened to cast a cloud over an economic forum aimed at boosting intra-African trade.
Police have arrested dozens of people and confirmed several deaths after riots in Johannesburg and the capital Pretoria in recent days, when roving groups attacked shops mainly owned by migrants from the rest of Africa.
Angry protesters also stormed the MTN office in Bodija in Ibadan and burnt part of the office in protest against xenophobic attack on Nigerians in South Africa.
Armed security men had to station operatives on all MTN, Shoprite and StarTimes offices in Ibadan, to prevent further breakdown of law and order.
The Oyo State police command had also cautioned Nigerians against any further violence, saying it was an ill wind that would blow no good results.(NAN)
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