The Federal Government is to seek compensation for business owned by Nigerians lost or damaged in anti-immigrant protest in South Africa, amidst stepped up diplomatic push to safeguard rights and investments of Nigerians.
It comes after widely spread protests that occurred in a number of cities in South Africa where thousands of protesters called for the deportation of illegal immigrants, leading many foreign-owned businesses to warn of a risk of violence and attacks. Some business owners and shop owners reportedly fled their businesses and premises to save themselves.
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Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) Chairman, Abike Dabiri-Erewa said the Federal Government would reach out to the authorities in South Africa to get affected Nigerians justice and a corresponding compensation for their confirmed losses.
Dabiri-Erewa emphasized that everyone has the right to security of their person, but also their right to immigration and decent wages as residents of the country and/or legal business owners must not be the victims of violence, intimidation or xenophobic attacks.
She revealed that Nigerian Diplomatic officers in South Africa have been instructed to record reports of unoccupied enterprises, damage to the properties, threats to safety of Nigerians. The information, she added, will feed into the continuous discussions with the government of South Africa.
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The latest may simply be a part of a wave of anti-immigration protests around South Africa, which also saw other actions and demonstrations in which the protesters blamed the country’s illegal foreign nationals for unemployment, high crime rates, and pressure on public services.
Authorities have recognized the right of citizens to peaceful protest, but warned to not attack foreign nationals or property.
Nigeria and South Africa have one of Africa’s biggest bilateral partnerships with thousands of Nigerians residing in South Africa, studying, and running businesses there. But there is chronic xenophobic violence that has caused diplomatic spats between these two countries.
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The Federal Government restated its determination to keep Nigerians safe in South Africa with the request that the citizens remain vigilant, obey local laws, and keep in touch with the Nigerian High Commission as efforts are ongoing to arrive at a solution through diplomatic channels.
