Following the dreadful xenophobic attacks in South Africa, Nigeria’s Consul General in the country, Ambassador Uche Ajulu-Okeke, said on Wednesday that eight Nigerians have so far indicated interest to return home.
Speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in a telephone chat from Johannesburg, South Africa, Okeke revealed that the Nigerian mission was already working with the eight interested people to facilitate their journey back home.
”I am working with eight Nigerians who have indicated interest to go home. They are presently at the deportation holding facility at Limbola, South Africa,’’ she said.
The Consul General said the mission held a meeting with leaders of the Nigerian Union in the nine provinces of South Africa.
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It was gathered that victims of the attacks came with wounds, including machete and gunshot wounds. They narrated how they were attacked and brought pictures. We took note of all that.
”The mission asked all the provincial chairmen of the union to collate all information reported,’’ she said.
Okeke also noted that the report would be sent to the Federal Government for further action, adding that the mission and the union worked out a vigilance defence mechanism to protect Nigerians.
She said the attacks had reduced and that Nigerians were asked to be vigilant inspite of the current development.
Aggression towards the immigrants in South Africa was apparently triggered by King Goodwill Zwelithini who last month said that foreigners must pack up and leave the country. Soon reports about attacks by locals on immigrants broke out.
Ten Nigerians were said to be among those attacked. The king, whose so-called “hate speech” is believed to have incited violence, blamed the media for misinterpreting his words. But it did not help to solve either the international diplomatic conflict, nor the violence on the local level.
The evacuation of Nigerian citizens from South Africa began on Monday,April 20 in response to the growing spate of xenophobic attacks on foreigners that is sweeping the country.
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