Reps charge Ramaphosa to halt xenophobic attacks on Nigerians 

Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
The House of Representatives has charged the South African president,  Cyril Ramaphosa, to take urgent steps to end the xenophobic attacks against Nigerians residing in South Africa. 
The chairman, House Committee on Foreign Affairs,  Buba Yakub, gave the charge while addressing journalists in Abuja.
Yakub who was reacting to the xenophobic attacks against Nigerians and nationals of other countries residing in South Africa, expressed dismay that the South African government had not taken concrete steps to stop the trend.
He said it is regrettable that despite repeated commitments made to Nigeria, by the South African government to ensure the security of lives and property of Nigerians in the country, they have done much to stop the endless attacks on foreigners.
According to the lawmaker, “unverified statistics have put the number of Nigerians killed in the last three years in the Republic of South Africa at an acceptable figure. It is our position that no Nigerian soul should again be lost in that country in the manner that we have witnessed in the last three years.
“There is no form of jungle justice for any crime or perceived wrong that is currently acceptable anywhere in the entire globe. Much as we once in a while have cases of a few Nigerians who are found on the wrong side of the law, it can never be taken as an excuse to begin a sudden onslaught against law-abiding ones and their property.”
Yakub added: “We are calling on the South African government to up its game. You cannot as a government fold your arms and see your citizens attacking citizens of other countries,  vandalising their shops, setting them on fire and killing them without the police in South Africa coming out on time to stop the dastardly acts.
“We have come to a crossroads and the Nigerian government will not fold its arm anymore. We are going to do anything within our power to see that this thing comes to an end.”