Magnus Eze, Enugu
The Association of South East Town Unions (ASETU) has asked the Federal government to act decisively on the latest round of xenophobic attack on the businesses of foreigners living in South Africa, especially Nigerians, by South African nationals.
ASETU noted that the attacks on the lives and businesses of Nigerians resident in the southern African country had become recurrent that the Federal government can no longer remain docile and indifferent.
The group which claimed that Nigerians were the main targets of the attacks in a statement on Wednesday by its National President, Chief Emeka Diwe, and National Secretary, Hon. Gideon Adikwuru, reminded the Nigerian government that the primary responsibility of government all over the world is the protection of lives and property of its citizenry wherever they are domiciled.
“ASETU also wishes to remind the Federal government that its inaction in previous attacks has emboldened these South Africans to unleash mayhem, loot the businesses of Nigerians and kill them at will, knowing that our docility and inaction will always prevail.
“On the other hand, ASETU notes with nostalgia, purported media reports that the Nigerian Embassy in South Africa shut its doors against Nigerians who ran to it for safety. ASETU calls for thorough investigation of this report.
“ASETU calls on the Federal government to wake up now and be alive to its responsibilities to her citizenry both at home and in the Diaspora, and to take the issues of their safety and security seriously. The quantum and quality of action we take should be in tandem with our claim of being the giant of Africa,” the group stated.
The town unions further called on the African Union to speak against the South African xenophobic attacks saying that its silence seemed conciliatory.
In addition, it urged the Federal government to address frontally, those issues that induce Nigerian citizens into taking flight to other countries for greener pastures.