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Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
President Muhammadu Buhari is currently meeting behind closed doors with the special envoys of President of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa.
The envoys are in Abuja over the increasing xenophobic attacks on Nigerians and other Africans living in South Africa.
The envoys arrived the forecourt of the Presidential Villa, Abuja at 2.13pm with the acting South Africa Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr. Bobby Monroe.
Ramaphosa who was booed as he took to the stage at Robert Mugabe’s funeral service, in Zimbabwe, to deliver his condolences on Saturday afternoon as he addressed mourners had dispatched three special envoys to seven countries to forestall possible diplomatic ties being severed.
The three special envoys were dispatched to Nigeria, Niger, Ghana, Senegal, Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia, to deliver messages of pan-African unity and solidarity.
The envoys will deliver messages on the violence that erupted in some parts of South Africa resulting in attacks on foreign nationals and destruction of properties.
The envoys are in Abuja to reassure President Buhari and Nigerians that South Africa is committed to the ideals of pan-African unity and solidarity.
They are also expected to reaffirm South Africa’s commitment to the rule of law.
They are to also brief Buhari on the steps that the South African government is taking to end the attacks and to hold the perpetrators to account.
Xenophobia attacks in South Africa have been on the rise as foreigners were accused of taking over employment that should have been for the locals.
A fortnight ago, President Buhari had sent a special envoy – the Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, Ambassador Abubakar Rufai, to Ramaphosa.
Rufia had submitted his report to President Buhari on his return to Nigeria.
