Nigerian Senate is angry with South Africa over the resumption of the xenophobic attacks on Nigerians living in that country and called on the government of President Muhammadu Buhari to reconsider Nigeria’s diplomatic relation with the country.
This was even as it had named a very strong seven-man delegation, led by the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, to South African parliament to engage South African lawmakers on the attacks.
The Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, who announced the seven man delegation, said that the Senate Majority Leader, Ahmad Lawan and senators Olusola Adeyeye, Stella Oduah, Shehu Sani, Shaaba Lafiagi and Magnus Abe were members of the delegation.
The Senate had yesterday, Tuesday, condemned in strong terms, the return of the xenophobic attacks in South Africa. It described the action as extra-judicial killings of Nigerians by both the South African police and South Africans on Nigerians.
The Senate therefore advised the Nigerian Federal Government to reconsider Nigeria’s diplomatic ties with South Africa with a view to averting the recurrent cases of xenophobic attacks and extra-judicial killings of Nigerians in South Africa.
The Senate had also resolved to send a delegation to South Africa to engage their fellow parliamentarians on the matter.
The resolutions of the Senate came about following a motion by SenatorRose Oko (PDP, Cross River North), and three other senators.
Titled: ”Resurgence of Xenophobic Attacks and Extra-judicial Killings of Nigerians in South Africa,” the Senators expressed concerns over recurrent cases of xenophobic attacks and extra-judicial killings of Nigerians in South Africa.
It recalled that South Africans attacked and looted businesses belonging to Nigerians in Pretoria on February 18, 2017, saying that the acts violated Article 5 of the United Nations Universal Declaration on Human Rights.
“No one shall be subjected to torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment.” [myad]
