Aidoghie Paulinus and Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
Following the renewed attack on foreign nationals living in South Africa, particularly Nigerians, four Nigerians sustained injuries in the Mpumalanga Province yesterday.
President, Nigerian Union South Africa (NUSA), Mr Adetola Olubajo, who confirmed it to Daily Sun, however, said no death was recorded during the incident.
The attack is coming barely few weeks after the state visit of President Muhammadu Buhari to South Africa where the issue of xenophobic attacks was discussed.
The visit of President Buhari to South Africa was sequel to series of xenophobic attacks on Nigerians and other foreign nationals in South Africa.
Olubajo added that foreign-owned businesses, especially by Nigerians, were burnt down during the attack.
Narrating the genesis of the crisis, Olubajo said the melee started at the early hours of yesterday when taxi drivers and some community members went about attacking foreign-owned businesses and foreigners, particularly Nigerians.
He added that the attackers moved to the interior of Witbank in the morning around Extension 10 where four Nigerians were injured.
“There is fresh attack in Mpumalanga, one of the provinces, an hour drive from Pretoria.
“The crisis started at the early hours of today. The taxi drivers and some community members went about attacking foreign-owned businesses and foreigners, in particular, Nigerians,” Olubajo said.
Olubajo further said the South African police could not stop the attack on time, even as he said normalcy has returned to the area.
However, efforts made by Daily Sun to reach the Consul-General of Nigeria in Johannesburg, Godwin Adama, were not successful.
Adama read a WhatsApp chat from Daily Sun requesting for information regarding the incident, but did not respond as at the time of filing this report.
Meanwhile, House of Representatives has expressed worry over attacks Nigerian politicians, who are visiting foreign countries, by Nigerians.
Consequently, the House said it will engage members of the Nigerian community in the diaspora over the issue.
Chairman, House Committee on Diaspora, Tolulope Sadipe, stated this, yesterday, in Abuja, at the inaugural meeting of the committee.
Sadipe described the attack on former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, in Germany, and the attack on Senator Kashamu Buruji in London, as unfortunate. She stated that the incidences indicate dangerous trends ahead, which must be nipped in the bud.