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No Nigerian was killed in fresh xenophobic attacks, Nigeria’s Consul General claims

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No Nigerian was killed in fresh xenophobic attacks, Nigeria's Consul General claims

The Consul General of the Nigerian mission in South Africa, Mr. Godwin Adama has said no Nigerian was killed in the renewed xenophobic attacks that started on August 28 through September 1 in the Southern African country.

Adama however said Nigerians lost property worth several millions of dollars as over 50 vehicles and other property owned by Nigerians were vandalised, burnt or stolen in the fresh attacks.

According to Adama, who spoke to Journalists on the phone from his base in Johannesburg on Tuesday, the situation has been tense as the attacks have been well-coordinated in the various areas such as Jules Street, Jappestown, Marven, Alexandra and Turffontein.

“Several foreign-owned shops were targeted but it affected Nigerians greatly; over 50 vehicles in car marts owned by Nigerians were vandalized, burnt or stolen, although few were reportedly recovered.

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

“As at today, the situation is calm, the only area there have been looting are the traders’ shops at a place called Alexandra in South Africa, where shops were looted overnight.

“This is to show you that it is not just Nigerians they have been looting, mostly foreigners that have shops and businesses in South Africa.

“These include Indians, Chinese and Pakistanis; where Indians have major malls have been locked, maybe they will open today,” he added.

Explaining that no Nigerian was killed and that the five people that were killed died as a result of a building that was gutted by fire, he said that most criminals seized the opportunity of the fire outbreak that occurred to loot property belonging to foreigners and as such some people were affected.

“No Nigerian has been killed, and the only thing that the criminals attacked were shops, because they may know that such shops belong to foreign nationals.

“There is a place where only two shops belonged to Nigerians out of the nine that were attacked, but there are other places where there are more Nigerian shops in Marvel or Jules Street.

“These are areas Nigerians love a lot, because we have large number of Nigerians there. So, some of the shops were burnt and even looted and they lost a lot within these areas.

“There was no attack against anybody, there was only attack on property and those property in business areas,” he said.

Adama also clarified that the African National Congress (ANC) had condemned the attacks, as well as the Minister of Police Affairs, Cele Bheki, dissociating the party and government from the actions, contrary to claims by Nigeria’s ruling party, the All Progressives Congress (APC)

“They all saw the whole development as criminally related.

“The missions have also condemned it in local media, as well as in host government space and called for the protection of foreigners, including Nigerians.

“We have equally reported the development to our government at home, who are currently taking measures to respond in the interest of our bilateral relations,” Adama said.

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