Nigeria's Ambassador to South Africa, Temitope Ajayi, has stated that the xenophobic attacks targeting Nigerians and other foreign nationals in South Africa are now under control. In an interview with Channels TV on April 27, Ajayi emphasized that Nigerians are not currently under siege in the country.
Government Efforts to Ensure Safety
According to Ajayi, officials from both Nigeria and South Africa are collaborating to prevent a recurrence of such incidents. He said, "Right now, Nigerians are not under siege in South Africa. The situation is currently under control. The two governments are working on it. The priority right now is to ensure the safety and wellbeing of every citizen, including foreigners."
Isolated Tensions
The ambassador described the recent xenophobic attacks as "isolated tension." He explained, "What we are seeing now is isolated tension, and that is why we call for caution. In terms of direct attacks or siege on Nigerians, that is not taking place right now. There have been concerns about foreigners being targeted, but the government has issued a statement cautioning people against targeting foreigners and xenophobic practices."
Ajayi further noted that the situation in Pretoria and Johannesburg is relatively calm. He added, "What we had before were isolated happenings in Kwazulu-Natal in Durban, which were contained and prompted a prompt response from the government."
Background
The comments come after a series of xenophobic attacks in South Africa that raised concerns among African nations, particularly Nigeria. The Nigerian government had earlier summoned its ambassador for consultations and demanded action from South African authorities to protect foreign nationals.
