Nigerians ignore appeals against retaliation for South African xenophobic attacks
Abuja, Nigeria (PANA) – Nigerians across the country have ignored appeals by the federal government against retaliatory attacks on South African businesses in the country.
They have over the past two days been attacking and burning down the offices of the telecommunications giant, MTN, in the commercial capital, Lagos and Bodija, Ibadan, southwest Nigeria and Uyo, in the Niger Delta region. They are also burning MTN masts across the country.
MTN is the largest mobile phone operator in Nigeria.
The protesters also attacked South African owned Shoprite malls and PEP stores in Ibadan and Lagos. Five people are known to have died in the xenophobic attacks in South Africa.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Tuesday condemned the attacks and said the country was facing a dark period.
In Nigeria’s federal capital, Abuja, security cordons were thrown around the three Shoprite malls along the airport road, Wuse and Apo zones as they were all closed for business.
Various police and other security vehicles and personnel were deployed to thwart the efforts of protesters to break into the shopping malls.
Meanwhile, a yet to be identified person was shot dead by the police outside the Shoprite premises around Jakande, Lekki area of Lagos State, after an angry mob set a police van on fire during a protest on Tuesday.
Storming the Shoprite mall complex and chanting militant songs, policemen prevented them from gaining access to the mall but the protesters lit bonfires.
They also set up barricades around the complex, compounding the traffic situation along the ever-busy expressway. Mr Bala El-Kana, spokesman of the Lagos state police command, told the media that he could not give details of the attack.
The attacks are said to be in retaliation to the xenophobic attacks in South Africa against foreigners including Nigerians. The xenophobic attacks in South Africa have worsened in recent days leading to the destruction and looting of many business premises including those owned by Nigerians.
The South African government has said it is trying to curb the violence. Many Nigerians have accused the South African government of not doing enough to stop the violence there.
Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari and South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa, have enjoined their respective citizens to remain calm as a lasting solution is being explored to the wave on xenophobic attacks meted to foreign nationals by South Africans.
President Buhari on Tuesday announced the deployment of a Special Envoy to South Africa as part of an immediate response to the escalating row.
On Tuesday night, Nigeria’s Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, described the attacks by angry Nigerians on South African businesses as “deeply disturbing”.
In a statement signed by his Spokesperson, Mr Segun Adeyemi, Alhaji Mohammed said targeting South African businesses is a “classic case of cutting off your nose to spite your face”.
This, he said, is because investors in such companies, especially MTN and Shoprite, are Nigerians.
The Minister also said majority of workers in the South African companies operating in Nigeria are also Nigerians. He said Nigerian workers in the companies will be hardest hit if such companies are forced to shut down for fear of attacks.
He assured Nigerians that the federal government is already taking decisive measures to put an end to the persistent xenophobic attacks against Nigerians in South Africa.
In another development, Nigerian Singer, Ms Tiwa Savage, on Tuesday announced the cancellation of her musical trip to South Africa over the attacks.
She said in a statement: “I refuse to watch the barbaric butchering of my people in SA. This is SICK. For this reason, I will NOT be performing at the upcoming DSTV delicious Festival in Johannesburg on the 21st of September. My prayers are with all the victims and families affected by this.”
The Zambian national team on Tuesday also cancelled a friendly football match with South Africa after the attacks.
This follows a travel alert issued by the Zambian High Commission in South Africa to Zambian truck drivers wishing to travel to that country.
MultiChoice Africa, a South African video entertainment company, has also condemned the xenophobic attacks.
-0- PANA MON/MA 4Sept2019
