Chinelo Obogo
Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation (NIDO), Asia, has urged the South African Government to investigate the recent xenophobic attacks against Nigerians and pay adequate compensation for damages.
In a statement signed by Emenike Ejiogu (President, NIDO Asia), Lloyd Nwafor (President, NIDO Thailand) and Awoms Henry (General Secretary), the group said South African authorities should “come out from their complicit inaction” and pay adequate compensation for the damage done to Nigerians by their citizens.
The group said that the violence against Nigerians in South Africa is a continuation of the assault that dates back to 2007 and it repeats itself every few year. The group said the attacks are contrary to the ideologies of African unity as expounded by past leaders.
The statement read in part: “We have been following reports of violent assaults in South Africa against nationals of other African countries, in particular, Nigerian citizens, in the past few weeks. We learned that businesses belonging to Nigerians were destroyed and burnt in several parts of the country. We are distressed to learn that in addition to the loss of property which will affect dependent families, the xenophobic attacks have also led to loss of lives.
“We wish to note that this recent violence against Nigerian citizens is a continuation of periodic orgy of violent assault and destruction that dates back to around 2007, repeating it every couple of years. NIDO Asia completely rejects and condemns the renewal of violent xenophobic attacks as acts that are contrary to the ideologies of African unity as expounded by great leaders of the past.
“Many South African leaders such as Nelson Mandela and Goran, Mbeki were offered refuge in Nigeria during the struggles of apartheid. The Nigerian government and workers made self imposed mandatory contributions towards the struggle to emancipate South Africa from the stranglehold of the oppressive apartheid regime. Even Nigerian students, including primary school pupils denied themselves lunch so as to make contribution towards the abolition of the apartheid regime.”