Nigeria summons South African envoy over attacks on its nationals

Nigeria has summoned South Africa’s acting High Commissioner over a spate of recent attacks on foreigners in the southern African nation.

Nigeria will formally convey its “profound concern” at a meeting on Monday over incidents in South Africa, saying they could affect existing relations between the countries, according to a foreign ministry statement.

The meeting will focus on recent marches held by anti-immigrant groups and “documented instances of mistreatment of Nigerian citizens and attacks on their businesses”, it said.

At least two Nigerians and four Ethiopians have been killed in recent weeks, local media reported, while there have been attacks on citizens of other African countries.

As Africa’s most industrialised country, people from elsewhere in the continent have long travelled to South Africa to seek work.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has condemned the attacks but also cautioned foreigners to respect local laws.

He used his Freedom Day address last week – marking the country’s first democratic elections in 1994 – to remind South Africans of the support other African nations had given in the struggle against the racist system of apartheid.

But some South Africans accuse foreigners of being in the country illegally, taking jobs from locals and having links to crime, especially drugs trafficking.

Anti-immigrant groups have been stopping people outside hospitals and schools demanding to see their identity papers.

Credit: bbc.com

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