President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo are
meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama to
discuss next step on Xenophobic attacks against Nigerians in South
Africa.
The country has boycotted the World Economic Forum on Africa 2019 holding in Cape Town, South Africa.
The Forum which kicked off on Wednesday had no Nigerian delegation in
attendance as other African countries joined Nigeria in boycotting the
event.
Some of the other African countries that have pulled out of WEF are Rwanda, Malawi and DR Congo.
The Nigerian government is exploring possible options including sanctions against the South African government.
The government is also deliberating on possible actions from within
after some Nigerians carried out reprisal attacks against South African
businesses in Nigeria including attacks on one of Africa’s largest food
retailers, Shoprite, and telecoms giant, MTN, forcing the organisations
to scale down operations.
“President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo have
taken a hands-on approach in resolving the Xenophobia issue with South
Africa but they want everything done diplomatically,” a source in the
Presidency said.
“The boycott of WEF is another strong statement to the South African
government and people because the Buhari administration will not stand
and fold its arms after attack on any Nigerian citizen. This is the
right step in the right direction.
It will be recalled that the Foreign Affairs Minister, Mr. Onyeama
met with the South African High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr. Bobby
Monroe, on Tuesday to express his displeasure at the Xenophobic attacks
and to also condemn the attacks.
Mr. Onyeama said the federal government expected that such security
operatives would eventually be incorporated in the South African police
with a view to assisting it in pre-empting future attack against
Nigerians.
“We have registered our strong protest to the government of South
Africa but most importantly, we have put forward to the South African
government what we think will make a big difference,” he said after the
two met in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.
“One, with regards to compensation for those who have suffered losses
and most importantly, a security proposal that we believe will
safeguard the security of Nigerians in the future.
“We are hoping to see the possibility of sending some security
agents, deploying them initially in the Nigerian High Commission, to
work closely with the South African Police Force.”