‘How S/African Politicians Fuel Xenophobic Attacks Against Nigerians’

Abike said this while responding to questions on ‘The Osasu Show’ concerning the xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in South Africa.

The Lawmaker said that South African citizens are being told that Nigerians are taking their jobs and girls, thereby fuelling the attacks.

“There are people who commit crime in South Africa, they are in any country. If South Africa is fighting crime; fight crime, not fight your brothers and sisters, who are legitimately working in South Africa,” Abike said.

“Don’t forget that these attacks have happened in the past, this is the seventh attack. The last one was 2015, and it was…the king of Zulu made some remarks that were inciting, so that incited the last attack.

“This particular one, let’s look at the circumstances; fine, there are economic issues everywhere in the world, also South Africa. Politicians are campaigning and telling their people, ‘you know what, drive these criminals away, they are taking your jobs, and they are taking your women too’

“They don’t say that openly, but there is this thing about it; even the women are not looking at us.”

She said “it is a wrong message and there has to be education, awareness, that it is not these immigrants that are taking your jobs. Look at the jobs they are doing; vulcanisers, mechanics, barbers, these are middle income jobs”.

“Nigeria must help South Africa to be more decisive, for instance, the only time the minister called this meeting in South Africa was after the MTN reprisal attacks here.

“Lately, multinationals here; Shoprite, MTN, DStv, also make conscious attempt to try and educate their citizens. Imagine MTN sending text messages to everyone in South Africa, saying Xenophobia is bad, don’t do this and that.

“They should embark on some corporate social responsibility. Those multinationals should get up and do something. DStv should be doing various jingles on why xenophobia is bad, they should take over the awareness campaign.”