Imminent Attack on Foreign Nationals: Nigerian Consulate in South Africa Issues Warning

Caroline Ameh

The Nigerian High commission in Pretoria, South Africa has called on Nigerians and other foreign nationals living in South Africa to be vigilant and exercise caution as they go about their activities.

This was contained in an advisory note signed by the consular section of the Nigerian High Commission citing the reason for the advice as threats by proponents of operation Dudula vowing to deal with foreign nationals in their country.

According to the advisory, the group plans to march against foreigners in their country from September 2 with particular targets at foreign businesses, shops and undocumented foreign nationals.

There have been several Xenophobic attacks on foreign nationals in South Africa especially Nigerians since 2015. In 2017 and 2019 Africans came under heavy attacks in which shops and other businesses were destroyed including loss of lives. This warning  has come at a time when diplomatic solutions are being proposed to stem these acts of violence against Africans.

Prior to the recent attacks, there had been reported cases of attack in 1998,2000,2008, 2009 and 2013. As a fall out of the 2013 attacks, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed by the governments of Nigeria and South Africa to reinforce diplomatic ties with the hope of forestalling repeat occurrence. But the events of 2016 and 2017 proved that the earlier efforts were in vain.