S’Africa Xenophobic attacks: Nigerians attack Shoprite, MTN facilities in Lagos

.Buhari sends special envoy to S’African President, Cyril Ramaphosa

.FG to dispatches security agents to S’Africa as Lawan, PDP, APC flay S’African govt

Chioma Joseph, Lagos, Doorsuur Iwambe, Tunde Opalana & Femi Ajagbusi, Abuja

The continued xenophobic attacks on Nigerians and other nationals in South African assumed a new dimension on Tuesday as aggrieved youths in Lagos attempted to carry out retaliatory attacks on popular retail shop, Shoprite and mobile telecommunications giant, MTN offices.

Also, President Muhammadu Buhari in reaction to the killings and destruction of businesses owned by Nigerians in South African has resolved to send a special envoy to the South African nation to meet with President Cyril Ramaphosa on the unabating xenophobic attacks on other Africans resident in South Africa.

Also, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyema, announced on Tuesday in Abuja, that the Federal Government would dispatch security agents to South Africa to safeguard and the protect the lives and properties of Nigerians.

One of our correspondents reports that some irate Nigerian youths took to the streets in Surulere Local Government Area, Lagos on Tuesday and allegedly threatened to attack South African-owned businesses such as MTN, Shoprite malls and Multi-choice among others.

The action of the protesting youths forced the Shoprite mall located on Adeniran Ogunsanya Street and MTN office located on Bode Thomas, Surulere to hurriedly close early for business as the youths who were mainly males expressed their displeasure at the way South Africans were attacking Nigerians in their country.

Before then, the youths had halted business and destroyed unquantifiable number of goods before they were prevented from wreaking more damage by the prompt intervention of the police and other security agents.

The protesting youths, however, called on the Federal Government to take proactive diplomatic actions that would stop how majority of Nigerians were being maltreated in South Africa.

A protester on condition of anonymity said that “enough is enough,” adding that it is high time that President Buhari did something about the situation before they (youths) take the law into their hands.

An MTN official, who begged for anonymity, said that they opened at 8 am today (Tuesday) just like any other day until he got a call saying that the neighbouring mall, Shoprite, was under attack and that they (MTN) should close shop as soon as possible.

“We were scared and that led us to shut down the premises around 2 p.m. and ask all our staff to go home,” he said.

An eyewitness stated that the youths, made up of both males and females pulled down goods from the shelves, while some others capitalized on the opportunity to loot the retail store.

Called to confirm the development, the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Elkana Bala, denied the report that businesses owned by South Africans, operating in the state were attacked.

He said some youths had only taken to the streets in a peaceful protest to condemn the xenophobic attacks in South Africa, adding that “we did not get any report of any of the businesses attacked. People are just making things up. I even called the area commander at Ajah and he told me there was no such incident.”

However, Bala said the command has taken proactive measures to ensure that the state does not witness such attacks, by deploying personnel to strategic parts of the state to ensure the security of lives and properties.

Meanwhile, President Buhari’s decision to dispatch a special envoy to convey a letter to President Ramaphosa of South Africa is contained in a statement issued in Abuja by Femi Adesina, the President’s spokesman.

The statement said the envoy would also interact with his South African counterpart on the situation on arrival in South Africa.

Adesina revealed that the President has already instructed the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, to summon the South African High Commissioner to Nigeria and get a brief on the situation in his home country.

He said Onyeama was also to express Nigeria’s displeasure over the treatment of her citizens and get assurance of the safety of their lives and property.

“The Special Envoy is expected to arrive in Pretoria latest Thursday, September 5, 2019,’’ he added.

Also on Tuesday, Nigeria’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Geoffrey Onyeama, revealed that the Federal Government is looking into the possibility of sending security agents to South Africa to safeguard lives and property of Nigerians.

Onyeama made this known when he fielded questions from State House correspondents after a closed door meeting with President Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Tuesday.

He explained that the planned deployment of the security agents is part of security proposals meant to check the unabated attacks on Nigerians in South Africa.

According to the minister, the Nigerian security agents, if deployed, are expected to work with their South African counterparts to curb the attacks, disclosing that already the government has registered its strong protest to the government of South Africa over the attacks.

“We have registered our strong protest to the government of South Africa, but most importantly, we have put forward to the South African government what we think will make a big difference.

“One with regard to compensation with those who have suffered loss and most importantly, a security proposal that we believe will safeguard the security of Nigerians in the future. We are hoping to see the possibility of sending some security agents deploying them initially in the Nigerian High commission to work closely with the South African police force,” he added.

Meanwhile, the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, the All Progressives Congress and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have added their voices in condemning the xenophobic attacks on Nigerian, their properties and businesses by South Africans.

The Senate President in a statement issued in Abuja, noted with concern the worsening xenophobic attacks on foreign nationals in South Africa, declaring that Nigeria has had enough of its citizens being targets of these attacks.

Talking tough, he said Nigeria will no longer tolerate hate crimes in any form against its citizens who are doing legitimate businesses in that country.

Lawan said xenophobic violence is most condemnable anywhere, more so, in South Africa, a country whose citizens benefitted from the unwavering support and solidarity of Africans and freedom lovers across the world in their historic struggle against apartheid.

He said: “The enormous contributions of Nigeria to the apartheid struggle is underscored by its recognition as a frontline state in the prolonged confrontation against the powerful racist regime that had held generations of Southern Africans in bondage and sub-human conditions.

“This recognition is in spite of the fact that Nigeria does not share geographical borders with the sub-region and was far removed from the direct consequences of apartheid.

“It is therefore, an unacceptable irony that a section of South Africans would so soon, after now, choose other Africans in their country as the targets of mindless violent attacks over frustrations for which the innocent victims have no control.”

According to the APC, Nigerians do not deserve these unwarranted attacks from South African nationals, expressing deep sadness over the attacks it said were unwarranted.

National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Mr. Lanre Issa-Onilu, in a statement on Tuesday wondered how South Africans forget their country’s history so soon and condemned the conspiracy of silence by many of the key players in the apartheid struggle who are still alive and active in the country’s national affairs.

“The barbaric attack on citizens of other countries points to a failure of leadership. South African leaders cannot exonerate themselves from this cowardly act.

“We call on the South African ruling party, the African National Congress (ANC) to urgently step in. This is completely at variance with what ANC stands for. The ANC government can no longer pretend about this obvious contradiction.

“The violence being meted to Nigerians under the ANC calls to question the very essence of the struggle against apartheid in which Nigeria was a frontline ally of South Africa.

“How can those who supported you and made huge sacrifices for your freedom become fair games to be murdered in cold blood? Perhaps, there is disconnect between the younger and older generation of South Africa?

“The older generation cannot sit back while the uninformed youths and some South African public officials in their quest for inordinate populism destroy what we collectively achieved over several decades of sacrifice and brotherliness,” the party said.

But, the PDP in its reaction said it was heartbroken by the insensitivity of the Buhari Presidency in failing to protect Nigerians in the face of unwarranted violent attacks.

The party expressed shock by allegations that officials of the Nigerian Embassy in South Africa locked the gates against Nigerians in the face of bloody attacks, leaving them to the cruelty of their assailants.

The PDP in a statement by its publicist, Kola Ologbondiyan said such scenario is condemnable, inexcusable and unpardonable, adding that it can only come from a government that does not derive its legitimacy from the people and as such cannot protect their interests.

The party said: “Such insensitivity by the Buhari Presidency to issues of safety, welfare and rights of Nigerians living abroad has continued to embolden acts of violence, violations and killing of our citizens in foreign lands.

“Nigerians are utterly appalled by the disparagement and abandonment of our citizens by the Buhari administration.

“Indeed, our citizens have totally lost hope of any forceful intervention by the Buhari Presidency, as it has not shown any commitment towards defending Nigerians in the face of unjust attacks, harassments and even murder both at home and abroad,” the party stated.