By South African Xenophobic Attacks: The Time For Diplomatic Niceties Is Over! – Segun Tomori
Over the past 24 hours, we have been regaled with horrific videos coming out of South-Africa which depict the setting ablaze of a Nigerian, attacks on others, and their business interests.
These spate of attacks is not new, neither is it a happenstance, It has been recurring over the years but what makes this particular one nauseating is the statement credited to SA Deputy Minister of Police.
The Minister had seemingly justified the attacks by questioning the rationale for the preponderance of Foreign nationals in their cities. He frowned at a situation where 80% of a city is occupied by Foreign nationals.
That statement in itself shows government complicity in the attacks and is unacceptable.
The question is, whose fault is it that Foreign nationals are populating a city?? If that is true, why not restrict visa issuance to culpable countries or tighten the process or better still, enact a law to make it mandatory for Foreign nationals to leave the country after a specified duration?
Instead, the South African government turns the other eye when attacks are on-going, and surreptitiously encourage it – this much can been deduced from the reckless statement of the Police Minister.
The time for diplomatic niceties is over. President Buhari should immediately summon the South-African Ambassador to Nigeria and read the riot act!
The message should be stern and succinct – Nigeria will recall her Ambassador from SA and impose sanctions on SA targeting their business interests in Nigeria, amongst others within 48 hours if concrete action to protect Nigerians and their businesses is not carried out.
Nigeria was at the forefront of the fight against Apartheid in South Africa and we must not only protect our citizens residing there, we must also rally the World through the UN and African Union against creeping racism and contrived Apartheid, rearing its ugly head in that country.
