Nigerian govt begs citizens to stop retaliatory attacks on South African businesses

The Nigerian Government has appealed to citizens to stop retaliatory attacks on South African companies in the country.

According to government, the investors and workers in the companies are Nigerians.

The appeal was made in a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the Minister of Information and Culture, Segun Adeyemi, on Tuesday in Abuja.

The statement qouted the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, as describing as disturbing reports that angry Nigerians had started attacking South African companies in Nigeria.

According to him, targeting South African companies in Nigeria for attack was akin to cutting off ones nose to spite the face because the investors in such companies, especially MTN and Shoprite, are Nigerians.

READ ALSO: XENOPHOBIC ATTACKS: Buhari considers deployment of Nigerian police to S/Africa

Mohammed further said that the majority of the workers in the South African companies operating in Nigeria were also Nigerians, meaning that Nigerian workers would be the hardest hit if the companies were forced to shut down.

The minister also assured Nigerians that the Federal Government was already taking concrete measures to stop persistent xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in South Africa.
‘
“President Muhammadu Buhari has dispatched a Special Envoy to convey to his South African counterpart, President Cyril Ramaphosa, his concerns and also interact with his South African counterpart on the situation.
”Also, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Geoffrey Onyeama, acting on the instruction of Mr. President, has summoned the South African High Commissioner to Nigeria to get a brief on the situation; express Nigeria’s displeasure over the treatment of her citizens; and secure assurance of the safety of their lives and property,” the minister said.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now