A cross section of Nigerians deplored attacks on South African businesses in parts of the country. The reprisal attacks were mostly in the commercial capital of Lagos and parts of Ibadan in the southwest region. The initial report of an attack on a South African business was reported from Lekki in Lagos. A Shoprite mall was attacked and looted reportedly by Nigerians. There is also strong presence of other South African companies in Nigeria, such as MTN, PEP stores, Multichoice DSTv and the list is exhaustive. Significantly, Nigerian employees are the first to be impacted by the chaos since they would lose their employment, if the enterprises close down. Also, most of the franchises of the South African firms are actually owned by Nigerian business people. Security actions, it is reported, has led to the death of one person. Even now, there is high security presence across a number of South African business premises.
The Nigerian government called on the citizens to desist from such attacks. A statement issued the Federal Government has appealed the Nigerians to desist from responding to ongoing xenophobic attacks against Nigerians in South Africa. The statement said that any violent response would only affect the Nigerians only, the statement reiterated.
A number of steps have been taken by Nigerian government to convey their displeasure to the South African government about the alleged Xenophobia. A special envoy was sent to South Africa to take up the matter with the administration once the untoward development was reported. Later, the South African Ambassador was summoned by Nigeria’s foreign minister to lodge the official protests. President Buhari will meet his counterpart Ramaphosa next month. Lagos State governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu also described attacks on South African business as criminal activities against legitimate businesses. While Federal Government is taking diplomatic route to protect Nigerians in South Africa, they wanted Nigerians to maintain restrain against South African companies in Nigeria.
