As the xenophobic attack on Nigerians in South Africa continues unabated, a House of Representatives member, Rt. Hon. Iduma Igariwey, has called on the federal government to take proactive measures against future attacks.
In a statement made available to Blueprint in Abuja Thursday, Igariwey, who is representing Afikpo North/South constituency for a second term, said that South Africa as a country has “short memory” with regards to the big brother role Nigeria played in their emancipation, especially during the apartheid era.
He said that, “though Nigeria lacks the political and economic ammunition to deservedly hurt South Africa, it’s in our national interest to aggregate and harness the extant global outrage against the unbridled violence against African migrants, especially with presidents of Ghana, Rwanda and Malawi speaking against the murderous mayhem going on in South Africa”.
Igariwey added that the South African government ought to be held accountable for failure to uphold their international obligations to people from other countries, who reside in their country, as “Nigerians are free to visit or live in any country of their choice, just like citizens of other countries visit and live in Nigeria”.
He said: “The recent xenophobic attacks against Africans in South Africa, particularly Nigerians, demonstrates the tragic irony of a people and a country that is quick to forget its history. Had it not been for African solidarity, particularly Nigeria’s profound economic and political contributions to the liberation struggle in South Africa, we wouldn’t have the South Africa we have today.
“Today, young South Africans, many of them illiterate and unaware of their own history, want African migrants out of their country; even as many innocent African lives have been lost in the process. Expectedly, the embarrassing situation has elicited responses from Nigerians and the Nigerian government.
“More recently, Nigeria is said to have recalled our Ambassador to SA and also boycotted the World Economic forum ongoing in SA. These unilateral responses are expected. The truth is that don’t have the political and economic ammunition to deservedly hurt South Africa. However, in the circumstance we’ve found ourselves as a country, our best bet is a multilateral collaboration with similarly affected African countries and there are many of them.
“Quite recently, we’ve seen and heard the presidents of Ghana, Rwanda, Malawi speak against the murderous mayhem going on in SA. It’s in our national interest to aggregate and harness the extant global outrage against what appears to be the institutional condonation of unbridled violence against African migrants by the South African government.
“Nigeria, though not geographically contiguous to South Africa, was a frontline state during the liberation wars against apartheid in South Africa. As a country, we’ve paid our dues to earn their respect. It’s foolhardy for South Africa to think that Nigeria and Nigerians will be frustrated into abandoning our sweat and blood which we have invested in their country over the years.”
