Nigeria recalls high commissioners to S’Africa
Aminu Bashir Wali, minister of foreign affairs, has summoned for consultation, Nigeria’s senior diplomats on tour of duty in South Africa.
According to a statement issued by the ministry on Saturday, these are Martin Cobham, acting high commissioner in Pretoria, and Uche Ajulu-Okeke (pictured), deputy high commissioner in Johannesburg.
The invitation is in connection with the xenophobia in South Africa targeting foreigners, mainly African migrants.
It will be recalled that the current attacks began about three weeks ago, and have so far claimed seven lives, caused the destruction of properties and created fear and uncertainty in the minds of African migrants in the former apartheid enclave.
Jacob Zuma, president of South Africa, condemned the attacks in a statement presented to the South African national assembly. Goodwill Zwelithini, the Zulu Monarch believed to have incited the attacks with his comments, has also called for calm.
But there are still concerns in the international community that these condemnations were not strong enough, as both Zume and Zwelithini have said publicly that foreigners in the country were enjoying opportunities that should go to locals.
Indeed the Jonathan govt by its action somehow overreacted on this matter. The xenophobic action going on in South Africa is neither a govt action nor is it knowned to be sanctioned by the South African govt. To thereby take action in the direction of breaking diplomatic relations does not help matters. The best way to have made a firm ststement to the SouthAfricns is to evacute our citizens from the country. That would sufficiently demonstrate to them that Nigeria feels strongly about xenophobia against its citizens.