Abuja Youths Cry Against Xenophobia in South Africa

The National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) has called on South African Government to address the issue of killings and maiming of innocent Nigerians in that country in the next 48 hours or face reprisal.

The council made the call in a letter signed by the President and Secretary of the council, Murtala Gamji and Gbenga Adedamola, on Wednesday in Abuja.

The letter was addressed to the South African President, Jacob Zuma, through the South African High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr LL Mnguni.

Gamji, who made the call during a peaceful protest by members of the youth council at the South African Embassy in Abuja, described the act as barbaric and inhuman.

He said “the attention of NYCN has been drawn to the killing and maiming of Nigerians in your country.

“We want to say categorically that this is ugly, barbaric and inhuman and unacceptable to us and we will do everything within our power to resist it in totality.

“We have been good brothers to you for long and Nigerians do not deserve this ugly treatment in return.”

The Spokesman of the council, Gambo Jagindi, also said any failure to address the issue by the South African Government within the stipulated time would attract repercussion.

He said “at the expiration of the 48 hours, we would shut down all businesses belonging to South Africans in Nigeria.

“We, therefore, urge the South African Government to deal with the issue as a matter of urgency to avoid reprisal.”

Meanwhile, the Federal Government on Wednesday demanded compensation for Nigerians whose properties were destroyed in the xenophobic violence that took place at the weekend in South Africa.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Geoffrey Onyeama, who stated this in Abuja at a news conference on the xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in South Africa, said Nigerian lives should be protected.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Nigerian buildings, businesses and places of worship worth millions of dollars were reportedly destroyed during the attacks in Pretoria West, South Africa on Feb. 18.

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He said “we are doing a lot; we are engaging the South African Government and have summoned the South African High Commissioner, Mr Lulu Aaron-Mnguni to the ministry
over the issue.

“One of the things that were being said was that South African Police were accomplice in some of the attacks, not just on Nigerians but other nationals."

Onyeama, who said that the Federal Government had taken some measures to put a stop to the incessant attacks on Nigerians in that country, expressed worry on the alleged involvement of security agencies in the violence.