Despite the horrific xenophobic attack ongoing in South Africa, the
Nigerian Government has said it will move to evacuate its citizens only
if the situation gets worse.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Aminu Wali, on Thursday said so far Nigerians have not been attacked. “With the discussions I have been having with Nigeria’s Head of Mission in Pretoria, no Nigeria n has so far been affected,” Mr. Wali said Thursday in Abuja. ”They informed me that they have called the Nigerian community and addressed them and told them to close their shops, stay home and keep out of trouble and obey the laws of South Africa.
“They have also confirmed that the South African authority has moved in to take actions that would forestall any further disturbance in South Africa,” Mr. Wali said. Mr. Wali said it will move to evacuate its citizens if the xenophobic attacks get worse. “If it gets worse it is the duty of our country to make sure our people are brought back, and we are taking that duty serious.
”We are not prepared to allow any of our nationals to be subjected to such inhuman treatment. “We are monitoring the situation and will now take action according to the situation that develops,” he said. Xenophobia in South Africa dates back to 1994 and are mainly targeted at citizens of other African Countries.
In May 2008 a series of xenophobic attack left 62 people dead. In the current attack, at least five people have been killed and hundreds forced to flee their homes in one of South Africa’s worst outbreaks of xenophobic violence in years.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Aminu Wali, on Thursday said so far Nigerians have not been attacked. “With the discussions I have been having with Nigeria’s Head of Mission in Pretoria, no Nigeria n has so far been affected,” Mr. Wali said Thursday in Abuja. ”They informed me that they have called the Nigerian community and addressed them and told them to close their shops, stay home and keep out of trouble and obey the laws of South Africa.
“They have also confirmed that the South African authority has moved in to take actions that would forestall any further disturbance in South Africa,” Mr. Wali said. Mr. Wali said it will move to evacuate its citizens if the xenophobic attacks get worse. “If it gets worse it is the duty of our country to make sure our people are brought back, and we are taking that duty serious.
”We are not prepared to allow any of our nationals to be subjected to such inhuman treatment. “We are monitoring the situation and will now take action according to the situation that develops,” he said. Xenophobia in South Africa dates back to 1994 and are mainly targeted at citizens of other African Countries.
In May 2008 a series of xenophobic attack left 62 people dead. In the current attack, at least five people have been killed and hundreds forced to flee their homes in one of South Africa’s worst outbreaks of xenophobic violence in years.
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