Protesting youths storm South African firms in Abuja

By Victoria Ojeme, Chris Ochayi, Emmanuel Elebeke, Favour Ulebor & Maranatha Ahiaba IRKED by the killings of Nigerians and destruction of their businesses in South Africa, aggrieved Nigerian youths, yesterday, moved to take on entities owned by South Africa in Nigeria but were blocked by armed security men.

The protesters, led by the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, had taken their anger to the premises of MTN, DSTV and Shoprite, all in Abuja with the aim of registering their anger over the wanton killing of Nigerians in South Africa and to serve a warning for the immediate cessation of the attacks. However, as they arrived at the MTN and DSTV offices, both in Maitama District of Abuja, armed security men had taken strategic positions around the business premises, thereby preventing them from gaining access to the places and attacking either people or property. No fewer than 10 trucks with anti-riot policemen and one with soldiers were on hand on both sides of the MTN office to ward off intruders. 

The students, led by their President, Aruna Kadiri, moved from the popular Unity Fountain to MTN office in Maitama and MultiChoice in Central Area. They also issued a 48-hour ultimatum to South African nationals and companies to leave Nigeria. They equally asked the High Commission officials to cancel the dinner organised in honour of Regina Tambo, the co-founder of ANC Youth League. At the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the students urged the government to take concrete action to protect Nigerians in South Africa. Kadiri, while addressing newsmen, said:  “We are demanding that they should break the ties between both countries, if there are any because of the xenophobic attacks. We have decided to clear the madness with madness.” Kadiri explained that they burnt the South African flag at the High Commission to pass a message that “we don’t have relationship with them any longer.  

Within 48 hours, all South Africans in Nigeria should leave or else, we won’t be able to guarantee their security anymore.” He said the last time the xenophobic attacks happened, nothing was done, no action was taken and no arrest was made and that was why South Africans repeated the attacks. “The government of South Africa is criminally quiet and they say silence is consent, and their police are folding their hands while they are killing Nigerians, this is conspiracy, enough is enough.” Responding, the spokesperson, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Clement Aduku, urged the protesting students to be calm, adding that the Federal Government was engaging in talks with its South African counterpart over the xenophobic attacks. He also assured that all diplomatic means would be explored to stop the killing of Nigerians in South Africa.