Experts Worry Over Safety Of Stranded Nigerians In SA

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…They’re In Safe Hands, NIDCOM Assures Nigerians

LAGOS – Bothered by the repeated xenophobic attacks on Nigerians and foreign nationals in South Af­rica, concerned international relations experts have urged the Federal Government to ensure speedy evacuation of stranded Nigerians.

A foreign affairs analyst, Adewale Akintade, among other international relations experts, while speaking exclusively with Sunday Independent, urged the Federal Government to pressure President Cyril Ramaphosa to ensure the safety of Nigerians in South Africa, as well as those awaiting evacuation.

Akintade said that after the safe return of the citizens, the Federal Government should “adopt a comprehensive rein­tegration strategy rather than treating returning migrants merely as recipients of emer­gency relief.”

He advised the Federal Gov­ernment to put in priority mea­sures for the returnees, which include establishing a dedicated reintegration fund providing temporary finance; Offering vo­cational training, digital skills development, and entrepre­neurship programmes, as well as Strengthening diplomatic en­gagement to ensure Nigerians abroad receive adequate protec­tion while also creating domes­tic economic opportunities that reduce dependence on migration.

Akintade, speaking on the way out of the crisis, said: “Ni­geria may seek diplomatic clarifi­cation through its High Commis­sion, request consultations under existing bilateral mechanisms, or review aspects of cooperation if it believes its citizens have been unfairly treated.”

Meanwhile, Spokesperson for Nigerians in Diaspora Commis­sion (NIDCOM), Abdul Rahman Balogun, told Sunday Indepen­dent that Nigerians who are awaiting repatriation are in safe hands in the NIDCOM Office in South Africa.

He said that the Federal Government has put adequate measures in place to ensure that those who want to come back to Nigeria are returned safely.

Also, a research professor at the Nigerian Institute of Inter­national Affairs (NIIA), Femi Otubanjo, called on the Federal Government to assist the return­ees.

Prof. Otubanjo said: “The government should assist them because of the traumatic nature of the experience they have had before returning to Nigeria. So you give them some rehabilita­tion to be able to settle down in Nigeria. But in the end, in the long term, they will still have to find their way.”

Rof. Otubanjo also advised that the Federal Government should write to South Africans government condemning the violent attacks on its citizens in the southern African country, as a means to checking further Xenophobic attacks.

He added that the Nigerian High Commission in South Af­rica should make adequate pro­visions for its citizens who are taking refuge there, as well as make available all that they need to survive while they await to be returned to Nigeria.

Upon their arrival to Nigeria, he said: “Well, the first thing, of course, is to separate these people into their states. Let them go to the states from which they came. And, of course, there’s a Diaspo­ra Commission that will have put in place some arrangements for them to be processed.”

Similarly, a Global Sustain­ability Ambassador to the Unit­ed Nations Association of Africa (UNAA), Victor Asije, called on African Union (AU) to urgently facilitate a selfless, and imple­mentable peace agreement be­tween the Nigerian and South African governments.

Asije enjoined the organ of AU Peace and Security Council to redouble their efforts at con­flicts prevention, management and resolutions.

He urged the AU to recommit to making Nigeria and South Af­rica see reasons to resolve their continued misunderstandings, grievances, resentments, biases and prejudices.

“The world, and especially Af­ricans are tired of hearing about xenophobic attacks on Nigerians and some other Africans in South Africa.

“The African Union (AU) Afri­can leaders, and other world lead­ers should be bothered to begin to urgently facilitate, and activate the urgent need for the govern­ment of Nigeria and South Af­rica, to sign a selfless and imple­mentable peace agreement.

“Africans and the rest of the world are getting more and more discouraged, and disheartened by the continued disruption of businesses, people’s means of livelihood, and attacks on pre­cious lives.” he said.

The UNAA Global Catalyst for Change said that what both countries needed, was sincerity of purpose, in resolving the re­peated differences between their aggrieved nationalities.

Asije added that it was im­portant for both countries to stop seeing themselves as conti­nental rivalries, but should start seeing themselves as partners in progress.

The Ambassador further urged the Nigerian and South Ministries of Foreign Affairs to urgently evolve more oppor­tunities for creating better, and mutual understanding between their nationalities.

“As governments and min­istries of foreign affairs, you need to embark on a committed reorientation of both countries’ nationalities on the need to embrace, practice, and engage themselves as African brothers and sisters, peaceably at all times.

“Governments of both coun­tries should begin to invest largely in creating sustained, and practicable understanding of their Africanness to them.

“Both countries’ nationalities should be steadily, and regularly sensitised that it is un-African for them to resist, resent, hate, and attacks themselves and their means of livelihood,” he said.

Asije also said that it was im­perative for both governments to establish accessible offices, out­side their High Commissions, in both countries for aggrieved nationalities to first lodge their complaints, rather than resort to attacks.

According to him, the causes of the recurrence of xenophobic attacks must be continually in­vestigated, and guarded against for the much-needed peaceful co­existence between them to thrive.

South African authorities claim more than 500 Nigerians repatriated did not have correct papers, which Nigeria has dis­puted.

Xenophobia has long been an issue in South Africa, and has sometimes lead to violence.

According to the African Cen­tre for Migration and Society’s (ACMS) xenophobic violence tracker, Xenowatch, two people have been killed this year.

In 2008, more than 60 people died during a wave of rioting against non-South Africans.