The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, has, with immediate effect, summoned the South African High Commissioner to Nigeria, Bobby Moroe, over the xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in that country.
The envoy was expected to meet with the Minister by 11am on Tuesday, September 3, to explain the circumstances that had led to the killings of Nigerians and the destruction of their properties.
A senior official of the ministry, Kimiebi Ebenfa, who confirmed the invitation of the SA envoy in a WhatsApp message, posted:
“I am directed to inform you that the Minister of Foreign Affairs has summoned the High Commissioner of South Africa for a meeting this morning by 11. The meeting was confirmed a few minutes ago.”
Irked by the ongoing attacks on Nigerians, Onyema had, on behalf of the Federal Government, said that the FG would take ‘definitive measures’ in the aftermath of xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in South Africa.
He was, however, silent on the measures that would be taken over the increasing violence against Nigerians and other foreigners in the country.
He described the attackers as mindless criminals, noting that the police intervention was ineffective.
Onyeama said this on Monday on his verified Twitter handle in reaction to the burning of Nigerian property by South Africans in Johannesburg, Marvel, Turfontein and Jamestown, on Sunday night.
“Received sickening and depressing news of continued burning and looting of Nigerian shops and premises in #SouthAfrica by mindless criminals with ineffective police protection. Enough is enough. We will take definitive measures,” Onyeama had tweeted.
The latest attacks on Nigerians and other foreigners in South Africa started last week after a taxi driver was murdered by an alleged drug dealer in Pretoria. Speculations that the alleged killer was a Nigerian sparked protest, looting and burning of foreign-owned businesses.
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