President Muhammadu Buhari has sent a special envoy to South Africa over the killing of Nigerians in that country just as the South African envoy in Nigeria has been summoned.
The President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, said on Tuesday in Abuja that President Buhari asked the envoy to convey his concerns to South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and engage him on the killings.
While the envoy would arrive in Pretoria latest Thursday, President Buhari directed the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, to summon the South African High Commissioner to Nigeria.
The minister was asked to get a brief on the situation and get the assurance of South African authorities on the safety of the lives and property of Nigerians in the country.
Onyeama has already met with South Africa’s High Commissioner to Nigeria, Bobby Monroe.
At the meeting, Monroe denied reports of xenophobic attacks in his country, saying the violence was not targeted at Nigerians.
He, however, said the attacks were ‘sporadic acts of violence’, claiming that businesses belonging to South Africans were also affected.
The Nigeria High Commission in South Africa has responded to the attacks.
The High Commissioner, Ambassador Kabiru Bala, in a statement on Tuesday urged all Nigerian victims in South Africa to come forward to report their situation to the High Commission as a list of victims is being compiled.
Bala said with the list of the victims complied, Nigeria High Commission will then hold Diplomatic talks with the South African government.
The High Commission of Nigeria in Pretoria views with concern the ongoing loss of lives, arson, and looting of properties in some parts of Gauteng Province of South Africa.
“Some of the victims of the anarchy are Nigerians and other Africans” he said.
MM/as/APA