As outrage against violence against foreign nationals in South Africa spreads, the Nigerian High Commissioner to South Africa, Ambassador Kabiru Bala, would return home for consultation any moment from now.
Nigeria has also pulled out of the World Economic Forum on Africa in Cape Town, South Africa, where Vice President Yemi Osinbajo was to represent Nigeria.
Earlier, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda and Malawi had pulled out of the event. Presidents Paul Kagame (Rwanda), Felix Tshisekedi (DRC) and Peter Mutharika (Malawi) have all withdrawn from the event.
President Muhammadu Buhari will address the nation on the return of the special envoy to South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Foreign Affairs Minister, Geoffrey Onyeama, Onyeama, who spoke to journalists after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari, said the Federal Government has drawn ‘a red line’ with South Africa, insisting that Nigeria would not ‘cave in’ on the matter.
“We want to assure all Nigerians that this government is determined, that red line has been drawn and that we will not cave in on this occasion.
“The South African government has to assume its responsibilities and protect Nigerians in South Africa and we have to hold them to account and they have to do that as well as pay full compensation,’’ he added.
He confirmed the recall of the Nigerian High Commissioner. He would return with the special envoy, at the end of his assignment.
Asked to disclose the identity of the envoy and measures being taken to protect Nigerians, Onyeama said: “The identity of the special envoy will be revealed in due course. There are certain reasons why we don’t want to do so immediately.”
On why the Nigerian high commissioner has been recalled when the envoy was on his way to South Africa, he said: “It is one of the options we are considering. He will need to come back, but we feel he should come back after the envoy has gone there, so that Mr. President will have the benefits of the full and comprehensive brief from all the individuals who are in the position to have seen things at a close range.”
The minister noted that Osinbajo was delegated by President Buhari to attend the summit, but the President later asked him to step down, following the xenophobic attacks.
“The Vice President, as you know, was scheduled to go to South Africa tomorrow (Thursday) to attend the World Economic Forum, clearly, with this climate, he and Mr. President have agreed that he should not go to the World Economic Forum in Cape Town, and we are looking at other measures to take,” he said.
The Federal Government has also advised Nigerians against travelling to volatile, high-risk areas of some countries until the current xenophobic attacks are brought under control.
Air Peace to evacuate Nigerians
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Air Peace Limited, Allen Onyema, has volunteered the airline to evacuate Nigerians from South Africa.
Spokesperson, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ferdinand Nwonye, disclosed the development yesterday in a statement issued in Abuja.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs wishes to inform the general public that following the recent unfortunate xenophobic attacks on foreign nationals, including Nigerians in South Africa, the Proprietor of Air Peace Airlines, Chief Allen Onyema, has volunteered to send an aircraft from Friday 6th September 2019 to evacuate Nigerians who wish to return to Nigeria free of charge,” he said,
The government further advised the public to inform their relatives in South Africa to take advantage of the laudable gesture.
“Interested Nigerians are therefore advised to liaise with the High Commission of Nigeria in Pretoria and the Consulate General of Nigeria in Johannesburg for further necessary arrangement.”
Obi, Omo-Agege, Nnamani react
As more reactions trail the attacks, the House of Representatives has charged the South African President to take urgent steps to end the attacks.
Chairman, House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Buba Yakub, expressed dismay that the South African government had not taken concrete steps to stop xenophobic attacks.
Similarly, Deputy President of the Senate, Ovie Omo-Agege, flayed the attacks as callous, cowardly, and inhumane.
Omo-Agege, in a statement issued by his special adviser on media and publicity, Yomi Odunuga, said he was appalled by the debasement of humanity as displayed in some video clips of the attacks.
He said, “The Senate is, without questioning, in support of necessary steps by President Muhammadu Buhari to save Nigerians in South Africa and resolve the unacceptable pattern of extra-judicial killings of our innocent citizens.”
Omo-Agege said those behind the killings must be fished out and punished, while due compensation should be paid to the families of the victims.
Condemning the attacks, the chairman of the Senate Committee on Cooperation, Integration in Africa and NEPAD, Chimaroke Nnamani, called for immediate engagement to stop the killings.
On his part, the vice presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2019 election, Mr. Peter Obi, called on South Africans to stop the attacks on foreigners, including Nigerians.
In a statement by his media office, Obi said what the South Africans were doing was most pathetic and regrettable, when one realised that a lot of their nationals were in Nigeria and other countries of the world doing various businesses without anybody ever harassing them.
Reacting, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, said the political class in South Africa has failed to address the challenges of poverty and inequality, which he said has pushed the country’s citizens to unleash their frustrations on other Africans.
He advised that, in the event the Ramaphosa administration did not accede to the demand for compensation, the Federal Government should brief a team of lawyers to seek legal redress for victims.
Tiwa Savage, Basketmouth snub S’Africa shows
Meanwhile, singer, Tiwa Savage, and comedian, Bright Okpocha (Basketmouth) have pulled out of their upcoming performance in South Africa.
Tiwa, who was billed to perform at the DStv Delicious festival on September 21, announced that she was boycotting the show in protest.
Basketmouth also cancelled his appearance at the upcoming Comic Choice Awards in South Africa.
He made the announcement via his Instagram page @basketmouth, stating: “I am not sure how and when we got here.
“I won’t be attending the Comic Choice Awards this weekend in South Africa as scheduled.
“It might sound like a whisper but, together, our voices and the right actions will make a true difference and real change can begin. But, for today, together we stand.”
As conversations around the attacks continue, more Nigerians are speaking against xenophobia.
Rising from a meeting in Asaba, Delta State, monarchs in the state, under the aegis of the Traditional Rulers’ Council, frowned at the unrelenting attacks on Nigerians by South African natives in the Rainbow Country, submitting that they were ungrateful to Nigeria for contributing immensely to liberate them from apartheid.
The monarchs, in a resolution, stated that Nigeria played a major role in the actualisation of independence in South Africa, and urged the Federal Government to take urgent steps to stop the attacks on Nigerians.
The Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Anambra State chapter, described the attacks as diplomatic hatred.
Ohanaeze’s condemnation came just as the South East All Progressives Congress (APC) Young Progressives Forum also flayed the actions of South Africans as unacceptable, and called for the immediate arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators.
State chapter chairman, Chief Demian Ogene Okeke, questioned the essence of the renewed attacks on Nigerians, which have resulted in gruesome killings, looting, burning of property owned by Nigerians and attack on the Nigerian Embassy, despite the fortunes Nigeria spent to ensure South Africa’s independence.
While describing the attacks as a betrayal, national leader of South East APC Young Progressives Forum, Otimkpu Paschal Chizoba, urged the Federal Government to ensure the protection of Nigerian citizens.
He said, “These people should be arrested and prosecuted for crimes against humanity.”
On its part, the Neo Black Movement of Africa (NBM) has called for an independent judicial panel of enquiry.
A statement by NBM national president, Felix Kupa, explained that part of the terms of reference of the panel would be to uncover the immediate and remote causes of the act, investigate same, and bring the perpetrators to justice.
The group noted that, over the years, African countries have stood by South Africans, dating back to the days of the apartheid regime in the country. Kupa added that the inhumane attacks were condemnable and against the spirit and ideologies of Africanism and against the various socio-cultural, economic and political treaties that exist among African countries.
He called on the government of South Africa, the Federal Government of Nigeria and other world powers to urgently rise up to their collective task and responsibility of protecting the lives, properties and investments of Nigerians as well as all persons living in any part of Africa.
Meanwhile, Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has vowed to punish troublemakers exploiting the ongoing xenophobic attacks on foreign nationals in South Africa to foment trouble in the state.
In a statement by the Chief Press Secretary, Gboyega Akosile, Sanwo-Olu advised parents to warn their children against taking to violence. He stressed that the full wrath of the law would be brought on anyone caught in reprisals against peace-loving foreigners and businesses in the state.
He implored residents to go about their lawful businesses without any fear. assuring them that Lagos would remain open to local and foreign investments.