Over 50 Nigerians have been caught in the xenophobic violence that raged throughout the week in South Africa, has learnt.
This is even as the acting High Commissioner of Nigeria to South Africa, Mr. Martins Cobham, said yesterday that evacuation of Nigerians from the country was not an option for now. He said the situation was being monitored on lower, middle and high threat and emphasised the need for Nigerians in the country to avoid areas of imminent threat, abide by the laws of the host country and cooperate with local security agencies.
The High Commissioner’s position yesterday is however contrary to an earlier statement by the Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria on Friday, that evacuation of Nigerians from the country would begin on Monday April 20.
According to the Nigerian Union in South Africa, arrangements have been concluded to “resettle 50 Nigerians affected by the on-going xenophobic attacks.”
This is also contrary to earlier assurances by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Aminu Wali, who said no Nigerian was affected by the xenophobic attacks from the ministry’s close monitoring.
“With the discussions I have been having with Nigeria’s Head of Mission in Pretoria, no Nigerian has so far been affected. They informed me that they have called the Nigerian community and addressed them and told them to close their shops, stay at home and keep out of trouble and obey the laws of South Africa,” Wali told State House correspondents on Thursday.
However, the President of the Nigerian Union, Mr Ikechukwu Anyene, said in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) from Pretoria, South Africa, yesterday that the 50 Nigerians were displaced at Jeppes Town, near Johannesburg.
“We met about 300 Nigerians in Jeppes town, near Johannesburg, who fled for their safety and about 50 of them do not have any place to stay. We are making arrangements with the Nigerian mission in South Africa to get them a place to stay for their safety.
“The Nigerian union has also presented relief materials to those affected by the attacks and we are in touch with various branches of the union in the provinces on their safety and security,” Anyene said.
According to him, Nigerian shops and businesses in Durban and Johannesburg had been looted and some burnt. He said two shops belonging to Nigerians in Durban were looted and they lost goods worth 400,000 Rand.
“In Jeppes Town, near Johannesburg, five shops were looted and one burnt while the estimated loss is put at One million Rand. The incidents have been reported to the police and we are still taking stock of attacks on Nigerians,” he added.
Anyene reiterated the union’s call to the Federal Government to put more pressure on the South African government to halt the attacks.
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