Following the news of rising xenophobia, resulting in attacks and brutal killings of non-South African Nationals in the country recently, Chairperson, House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs, Nnenna Elendu-Ukeje, has called for the evacuation of Nigerians from the country within 24 hours.
Ukeje called for the evacuation on Thursday saying the safety of Nigerians anywhere in the world should be one of the most important things in the government’s mind.
She called on the he Federal Government of rise up to the occasion by implementing contingency plans to evacuate Nigerian nationales who are in dire need currently.
“It is expedient to think of where all Nigerians can gather within 24 hours for safety either in our embassy or mission for the safety of our citizens,” Ukeje said.
She suggested that a concrete arrangement with some airlines should be made to evacuate Nigerians back home. She also urged the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to mobilise to take care of the returnees.
She noted that the attacks on black Africans in the country has now reached locations like Johannesburg and Durban.
While noting that delay in this case would be very dangerous, she observed that the government of the concerned country have also not issued any strong reactions.
“Unfortunately, there is no serious condemnation from South Africa government on this attacks, hence the need for Nigerian government to be proactive and rescue her citizens as soon as possible,” Ukeje said.
She expressed shock that a country that houses African Parliament and other institutions of Africa in the continent could descend so low to not swiftly move to curb the attacks and nip the action at the bud.
Reacting also to the issue, Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Diaspora, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, also said that a motion on the issue would be tabled during the plenary session of the House.
Dabiri-Erewa said she was disgusted by the attacks and that it brings back the memory of apartheid South Africa.
However the Minister of State II, for Foreign Affairs, Musiliu Obanikoro, has said that no Nigerians were killed in the attacks so far.
