NIGERIANS in South Africa have called on President Muhammadu Buhari to insist that President Jacob Zuma adequately compensates the victims of the 2015 xenophobia outbreak that raged across the country.
Last year, for several days, unemployed youths across South Africa took to the streets attacking fellow Africans in some of the most horrific xenophobic attacks that have been seen since the end of apartheid. Many Nigerian businesses were destroyed and burnt down in the pogroms and several nationals of other African nations were killed.
President Zuma is currently on a two-day official visit to Nigeria where he will be holding a bilateral summit with President Buhari. Ikechukwu Anyene, the president of Nigeria Union, South Africa (Nusa), has called on President Buhari to use the opportunity to press for adequate compensation for all the losses Nigerians suffered during the attacks.
Mr Anyene said: “Lots of Nigerians lost their means of livelihood, material possessions and for many, all their hard work. We have sought compensation on behalf of these victims from the South African government through the Nigerian government so that the victims can be adequately compensated.
“Up to this point in time nothing has been heard about the compensation request on behalf of the victims. We therefore call on President Buhari to urgently intervene and ensure that the rights of Nigerians are not trampled upon."
Last year's violence started after some South Africans accused immigrants of taking jobs and opportunities away from them. Trouble started after comments by Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini, an influential figure, that foreigners should pack their bags and leave.
According to Mr Anyene, there seems to be institutionalised xenophobia in South Africa where Nigerian professionals and students are discriminated against and victimised simply because they are non indigenes. He expressed sadness that Nigerians in South Africa have for some time now been unduly harassed or killed.
Meanwhile, the head of the South African National Defence Force, General Zakaria Shoke has re-affirmed his country’s willingness to work with Nigerian armed forces to the benefit of the two countries. General Shoke made this known when he visited the Nigeria's chief of defence staff, General Gabriel Olonisakin at his office in Abuja.
General Shoke promised to support Nigeria in its quest to eliminate Boko Haram in the country. He further maintained his armed forces commitment to the development of the Nigerian military in the area of capacity building, exchange programme and logistics support, among others.
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