Over 50 Nigerians have been caught in the xenophobic violence that raged throughout the week in South Africa, LEADERSHIP SUNDAY has learnt.


This is even as the acting High Commissioner of Nigeria to South Africa, Mr. Martins Cobham, said yesterday that evacuation of Nigerians from the country was not an option for now. He said the situation was being monitored on lower, middle and high threat and emphasised the need for Nigerians in the country to avoid areas of imminent threat, abide by the laws of the host country and cooperate with local security agencies.


The High Commissioner’s position yesterday is however contrary to an earlier statement by the Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria on Friday, that evacuation of Nigerians from the country would begin on Monday April 20.


According to the Nigerian Union in South Africa, arrangements have been concluded to “resettle 50 Nigerians affected by the on-going xenophobic attacks.”


This is also contrary to earlier assurances by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Aminu Wali, who said no Nigerian was affected by the xenophobic attacks from the ministry’s close monitoring.


“With the discussions I have been having with Nigeria’s Head of Mission in Pretoria, no Nigerian has so far been affected. They informed me that they have called the Nigerian community and addressed them and told them to close their shops, stay at home and keep out of trouble and obey the laws of South Africa,” Wali told State House correspondents on Thursday.

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However, the President of the Nigerian Union, Mr Ikechukwu Anyene, said in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) from Pretoria, South Africa, yesterday that the 50 Nigerians were displaced at Jeppes Town, near Johannesburg.


“We met about 300 Nigerians in Jeppes town, near Johannesburg, who fled for their safety and about 50 of them do not have any place to stay.


We are making arrangements with the Nigerian mission in South Africa to get them a place to stay for their safety.


“The Nigerian union has also presented relief materials to those affected by the attacks and we are in touch with various branches of the union in the provinces on their safety and security,” Anyene said.


According to him, Nigerian shops and businesses in Durban and Johannesburg had been looted and some burnt. He said two shops belonging to Nigerians in Durban were looted and they lost goods worth 400,000 Rand.


“In Jeppes Town, near Johannesburg, five shops were looted and one burnt while the estimated loss is put at One million Rand. The incidents have been reported to the police and we are still taking stock of attacks on Nigerians,” he added.


Anyene reiterated the union’s call to the Federal Government to put more pressure on the South African government to halt the attacks.


Buhari backs Jonathan’s measures to secure Nigerians
The Nigerian President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari, says he is in full support of the steps taken so far by the Nigerian government in its efforts to protect the country’s citizens from the wave of xenophobic attacks in South Africa.
In a statement issued in Abuja yesterday, he said that Nigeria’s Head of Mission in Pretoria had taken the right steps by advising the Nigerian community in South Africa to close their shops, stay at home and keep out of trouble, while ensuring that they obey the laws of their host country.


“We equally understand that the South African government is making efforts to bring an end to this unfortunate situation. In the meantime, Nigerians in South Africa should abide by the words of caution extended them by their government representative in Pretoria,” the president-elect added.



He also commended the Nigerian government for its decision to monitor the situation in South Africa and evacuate its citizens at any sign of escalation.



“I am happy to see that the Nigerian government is very well aware of its responsibilities to its citizens in South Africa,” he emphasised.



The president-elect expressed sadness at the unfolding events in South Africa, recalling Nigeria and South Africa’s friendly relations since the end of apartheid.



Envoy Apologises
Following the xenophobic attacks which have affected about 50 Nigerians, the South African ambassador to Nigeria, Lulu Mnguni, has assured Nigeria that his country will not allow the activities of some criminally minded elements to destroy the existing cosy relationship between the two brotherly nations.



Mnguni, gave the assurance in Abuja, yesterday,y while speaking with LEADERSHIP Sunday on the barbaric attacks of foreigners by some South African elements.



The ambassador who pointed out that it was regrettable for criminal elements to attack foreign nationals in their midst, assured that the South African government had taken concrete steps to contain the situation.



The envoy said that the enormous contributions of Nigeria towards the attainment of freedom in South Africa cannot be over-emphasised; adding that such sacrifice could not just be wished away by the activities of some criminals.



“The situation is serious but not as acute as before. It is not the whole of South Africa that is experiencing xenophobia attacks but localised in two areas. But the security agencies are responding very strongly to the situation. Our government has also put a number of measures in place and the president of South Africa has come out very strongly to condemn the attacks to show that we are not in any way condoning the actions of the elements involved in the attacks,” he stated.



Recall that between 2000 and March 2008, at least 67 people died in what were identified as xenophobic attacks. In May 2008 a series of riots left 62 people dead; although 21 of those killed were South African citizens. The attacks were apparently motivated by xenophobia.



Nigerian, Zimbabwean, Somali and Mozambican nationals are the most affected



Attacks barbaric, unjustifiable – PDP
Worried about the development, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday described as provocative and completely unacceptable, the xenophobic attack on Nigerians and other foreign nationals in South Africa.



The party further noted that while it was aware that the unfortunate incident resulted from utterances by certain leaders in South Africa, it called on the ruling African National Congress (ANC) and South African government to take urgent practical steps to stem the tide and guarantee the safety of lives and property of Nigerians and other nationals targeted by the xenophobes.



National Publicity Secretary of the party, Olisa Metuh in a statement on Saturday, said the attacks were “outrightly barbaric, primitive and cannot be justified under any guise whatsoever.”



The party said it was “unfortunate and disheartening that South Africans by this attitude have shown that they are not appreciative of the roles played by Nigeria and other African countries in liberating their nation from the clutches of the obnoxious apartheid system.



“Whilst we are aware that this unfortunate incident is a fallout of incendiary utterances by certain leaders in South Africa, we call on the ruling African National Congress (ANC) and South African government to take urgent practical steps to stem the tide and guarantee the safety of lives and property of Nigerians and other nationals targeted by the xenophobes.



“All well-meaning world leaders especially Africans should stand up and condemn this dangerous trend, which is a clear threat to the much desired unity, cooperativeness and development in the continent. We recall that this disgraceful act had taken place in recent time in the same country. As such, we charge South African leaders to do everything humanly possible to halt this wickedness and forestall a repeat in the future.



“Africans and indeed all citizens of the world must be allowed to visit, live or work in any part of the continent without fear of attack as long as they meet local statutory requirements of the country of their sojourn,” the party said.




While urging the Federal Government to take immediate action to ensure the safety of lives and property of Nigerians in South Africa, the PDP also called for calm and restraint at home even in the face of an obvious provocation that is capable of sparking off a reprisal.



It said the Federal Government should draw the attention of South Africa to the danger the actions of its citizens portend, given the fact that the world has become a global village where political and economic interests have become universal.



NANS Threatens South African Businesses in Nigeria



The National Association Of Nigerian Students (NANS) has threatened to disrupt businesses owned by South Africans in Nigeria if the South African government refuses to protect Nigerians living in the county from the xenophobic attacks.



The student union body said if the South African government in the next seven days refuses to stop the attacks, then it would also make life uncomfortable for South Africans living in Nigeria.
NANS in a statement signed by its public relations officer, Comr. Nwankwo Ezekiel, condemned the attacks, describing it as wicked and irresponsible



“It is with sense of brotherhood that we are mandating the South African government to ensure an urgent solution to bring to an end this killings of our own citizens within the next seven days or leave us with no alternative than to go against all South Africa investments in our noble country Nigeria and will not stop at this but furthermore, make all South Africa citizens uncomfortable in our country.”