The Federal Government has slammed the South African authorities and security agencies over the ongoing harassment and intimidation of Nigerians in the country.
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Ojukwu, who made this known on Monday in Abuja, said Nigeria may sanctions South Africa over the shoddy treatment visited on Nigerians in that country.
She the government has launched a crisis response to evacuate Nigerians from South Africa after a wave of attacks and property looting that left them ”imperiled” and “in distress.”
21st CENTURY CHRONICLE reports that the FG on Monday postponed the evacuation of 270 Nigerians from South Africa to tomorrow, citing unforeseen logistical challenges. Recall that the evacuation had earlier been slated to begin on Monday.
The minister denied allegations by some South African authorities that most affected Nigerians were illegal migrants.
Ojukwu said: “To say that Nigerians who are in South Africa doing legitimate business are illegal migrants is absolutely untrue.
“Nigeria is not happy because Nigeria has sacrificed much for the South African struggle for independence.
“Nigeria sacrificed quite a lot, committed funds, committed resources to aid South Africa. In schools, seats were reserved for South African students. My own generation carried placards; we demonstrated in front of South African assets.
“Sometimes we even got arrested for doing this. Nigeria is a serious frontline state, and Nigerians are not happy about how they have been treated. They are not asking other migrants to leave; they’re only asking black migrants to leave.”
