Xenophobia: Nigeria, South Africa Will Adopt Early Warning Mechanism, Says Dabiri-Erewa

The Nigerian government says it will implement the early warning signal mechanisms recently signed with South Africa.

Chairman/CEO of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, gave the assurance following reports of renewed xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in that country.

According to her, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs in both countries will ensure the implementation of the mechanisms as part of the efforts to curb xenophobic attacks in South Africa.

Channels Television had reported a fresh wave of attacks by South Africans on Nigerians living in Mpumalanga province on Tuesday.

The leadership of Nigerian Citizens in South Africa (NICASA) confirmed the incident, saying its members were on their way to the scene at the time, to gather more information on the incident.

Reacting in the statement by the Head of Media Unit at NIDCOM, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, Dabiri-Erewa said the Consul-General of Nigeria in South Africa, Godwin Adama, was on top of the situation.

“The Consul General, Godwin Adama, is currently in Witbank, Mpumulanga, where the crisis happened. He is at a meeting with the highest police authorities there,” she was quoted as saying in the statement.

She added, “The mission intervened immediately and the situation is currently under control. After this meeting, a meeting with Nigerians along with the South African Police will hold.”

The NIDCOM boss gave assurance that further developments at this stage would be taken up at the ministerial level, between the two Ministers of Foreign Affairs of both countries.

The latest attacks came three weeks after President Muhammadu Buhari had led a high powered delegation, including governors and ministers to South Africa on a two-day state visit over the xenophobic attacks on Nigerians.

A series of agreements and Memorandum of Understanding were signed by the two African states to cement the relationship and nip the hostilities in the bud.