Nigeria’s House of Representatives on Tuesday passed a resolution condemning the xenophobic attacks against Nigerians in South Africa, Premium Times reports.
The lawmakers also urged the President Muhammadu Buhari administration to recall the country’s ambassador to South Africa ahead of a major anti-Nigerians rally planned for Friday.
The resolution followed a motion by Rita Orji, a PDP member from Lagos State, who decried how Nigerians are being unjustly targeted in that country.
Another lawmaker, Sergius Ogun, PDP-Edo State, said the poor treatment being meted to Nigerians was particularly troubling giving the role Nigeria played in ending the South African Apartheid regime.
“I want us as a House to condemn it and I also want our government to take a stand on it.
“How can we say that we are the giant of Africa when in other African countries, our citizens are being killed?” he said.
In her contribution, Nnenna Elendu-Ukeje, PDP-Abia State, said Nigeria should take extra-diplomatic measures in dealing with the latest deadly assaults because the “the attacks on Nigerians in SA have persisted” despite all diplomatic solutions explored by the government.
Minority Leader, Leo Ogor, said it was time for all stakeholders to “call a spade a spade.”
“This isn’t the first time this is happening. South Africans continue to kill Nigerians for no justifiable reason and this is completely unacceptable,” Mr. Ogor, PDP-Delta State, said. He urged the South African government to take up its responsibility of securing live and properties within its borders.
No fewer than 20 Nigerians were killed in xenophobic attacks in South Africa last year.
The South African government has also condemned the attacks, saying it will introduce teaching of history in schools to help South Africans understand the roles Nigeria and other African countries played during the apartheid struggle.
