Xenophobia: Buhari Orders Immediate Evacuation of Nigerians

• Xenophobia: Buhari Orders Immediate Evacuation of Nigerians

President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered that Nigerians willing to relocate back home in the wake of recent xenophobic attacks be immediately evacuated from South Africa.

The president gave the order on Monday after receiving the report of the special envoy sent to South Africa following the killings of Nigerians and other African nationals by South Africans.

Buhari had sent Ambassador Ahmed Rufai Abubakar, director-general of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), to convey his special message to President Cyril Ramaphosa last week.

Abubakar, on Monday, presented his report to the President in Abuja.

Following the envoy’s report, President Muhammadu Buhari expressed his concern over lack of proactive measures by the South African government concerning the situation.

About eight policemen fingered in the killing of Nigerians are still in court without any meaningful headway.

Similarly, the killing of Mrs. Uju Ndubuisi Chukwu, deputy director-general of the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria, in her hotel in South Africa during a conference organised by the African Insurance Organisation (AIO) in June 2019 remained unsolved.

Therefore, President Buhari ordered the immediate evacuation of Nigerians ready to return home.

According to Mrs. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, director-general of the Nigerian Diaspora Commission, around 640 Nigerians were set to return home on Wednesday.

She said: “Two planes will convey them. The envoy will be briefing the president. When we receive the first two batches, we will know how many more will come.

“With the envoy’s briefing the president, we will be having everything in place. In the meantime, we continue to demand compensation for Nigerians that have been attacked in South Africa.”

Mr Femi Adesina, the presidential spokesman said: “President Buhari is worried that the recurring issue of xenophobia could negatively affect the image and standing of South Africa as one of the leading countries on the continent, if nothing is done to stop it.

“The special envoy conveyed the assurance of President Buhari that the Nigerian government is ready and willing to collaborate with the South African government to find a lasting solution to the involvement of a few Nigerians in criminal activities, and to protect the life and property of the larger groups of other law abiding Nigerians and indeed Africans in general, against all forms of attacks including xenophobia.

“President Buhari further assured that the Nigerian government will guarantee the safety of life property and business interests of South Africans in Nigeria,” he said.