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THE Senate wants President Goodluck Jonathan to recall S. S. Yusuf, Nigeria’s high commissioner to South Africa, to protest the current wave of xenophobic attacks on Nigerians by some indigenes of the Southern African country. The Senate made the statement in a motion passed on Wednesday, April 22, also asking federal government to drag Goodwill Zwelithini, Zulu King, who allegedly made the inflammatory statement which led to the crisis, before the International Criminal Court over his alleged role in the unfortunate development.

The federal lawmakers condemned the actions of the South Africans and asked its committee on foreign affairs, to summon Aminu Wali, minister of Foreign Affairs, to brief them on the situation and measures being taken to safeguard the lives of Nigerians in South African.

They urged the federal government to pressurise the South African government to bring the perpetrators of the evil act to justice and ensure adequate protection of Nigerians and their investments in South Africa. They also demanded full compensation for the families who had lost members and those who lost property as a result of these attacks.

Victor Ndoma-Egba, deputy senate president, while presenting the motion, noted with anxiety the recent wave of xenophobic attacks in parts of Johannesburg and Durban, South Africa by locals on African Immigrants which led to the death of no fewer than seven persons. He said the South Africans engaged in massive looting and destruction of foreigners’ properties, a situation, he lamented, had forced hundreds of migrants to relocate to police stations across the country.

On his part, David Mark, senate president, described the situation in South Africa as totally unacceptable, and unexpected. He said: “My humble suggestion will be that South Africa should not stretch us beyond our elastic limit on this matter. There is a limit beyond which the nation will not accept what is happening in South Africa.”

— May 4, 2015 @ 01:00 GMT

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