The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) has issued an urgent safety warning to Nigerians in South Africa, asking them to shut their businesses and avoid confrontations over rising xenophobic attacks.
The warning comes as anti-foreigner protests escalate in South Africa, with demonstrators targeting foreign-owned businesses and demanding that foreigners leave the country.
In one viral video cited on social media, some South African men accosted a Nigerian clothing merchant and tell him to pack up his belongings and leave.
Following the xenophobia crisis, Nigerians and other foreign nationals, especially Ghanaians, who depend heavily on small enterprises for survival have expressed fear.
NIDCOM issues warning
However, NiDCOM claimed in a statement on Friday that the caution comes after a Wednesday circular from Nigeria’s consulate general in Johannesburg.
The panel claims that protests in East London, Cape Town, Durban, and KwaZulu-Natal have descended into violence, resulting in property destruction, looting, and injuries.
The commission instructed Nigerians to avoid crowded areas, steer clear of protest groups, and monitor local media for updates on security conditions.
NiDCOM also advised Nigerian business owners to close their establishments on April 27, Freedom Day, and consider remaining closed on April 28 and 29, noting that unrest often targets foreign-owned businesses.
Backstory…
On April 4, Nigerians awoke to commotion when South Africans protested over the early March coronation of Solomon Eziko, a Nigerian Igbo chief, by taking to the streets of Albany and Buffalo under KuGombo, often known as East London.
Reports indicate that about 26 Nigerians were injured and hospitalised, while attackers destroyed property worth millions of rands—including vehicles and shops.
Earlier, the NiDCOM Chairman, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, advised Nigerians in South Africa to remain calm.
Despite the escalating situation, NiDCOM had not announced any plans to evacuate affected Nigerians at the time of reporting.
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