NIGERIAN STUDENTS GIVE 48 HOURS ULTIMATUM TO ALL SOUTH AFRICAN COMPANIES IN NIGERIA TO RELOCATE
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has given 48 hours ultimatum to all South African companies in Nigeria to relocate over the xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in South Africa.
The
students gave the ultimatum at a peaceful demonstration at some South African
companies in Abuja on Thursday.
During
the march the students carried a banner, which read: ‘’NANS Against
Xenophobic Attacks on Nigerians.’’
While
the students marched, the security men stood and watched to ensure law and
order.
The
president of NANS, Kadiri Aruna, said in an interview with News Agency of
Nigeria (NAN) at DSTV office, a South African company, in Wuse 2, Abuja, that
Nigerian students had resolved to condemn the attacks.
Aruna
said that the protest would also serve as a warning to other countries trying
to underrate Nigerians.
He
said that after 48 hours, if nothing was done, messages would be sent to
students in all university campuses to bring down MTN masts all over the
country.
Aruna
said that DSTV and Shoprite would also be affected as the union had put
adequate strategies in place to make the action effective.
“All the South African business empires in Nigeria and their
collaborators in Nigeria will be affected.
“I don’t want to say we will be barbaric but we will not be
lawful in our actions, we will do it and face the consequences, enough of this
rubbish,’’ he said.
Aruna
stressed that the poor treatment being meted out to Nigerians was particularly
insulting given the role Nigeria played in ending the apartheid regime in South
Africa.
He
said: “Nigeria contributed 80 per cent of the freedom the South Africans are
enjoying today because we saved them from the jaws of apartheid.
“Who is South Africa to humiliate Nigeria? So they forget
things so soon, let them go back to history and records to see how much
financial assistance and what the country did to save them".
The
union president said that the situation was inhuman and for this reason all
reasonable Nigerians must react.
“In science they say you use malaria to cure malaria, now
you use madness to cure their madness, and that is why we are advising them to
leave Nigerian soil before 48 hours.’’
He
said that the Federal Government should not wait till the dying minute before
evacuating Nigerians from South Africa.
Aruna
said it was time for government not to only condemn the attacks but take a firm
stand by summoning South Africa’s high commissioner and if possible cut
diplomatic ties with that country.
He
said that the last time the xenophobic attack happened nothing was done, no
action was taken and no arrest was made and that was why South Africans
repeated the attacks.
Aruna
said it was so unfortunate that during the attacks the South African Government
refused to take up its responsibility of securing Nigerians and their
properties.
“The government of South Africa is criminally quiet and they
say silence is consent, and their police are folding their hands while they are
killing Nigerians, this is conspiracy, enough is enough,’’ he said.
He
said the peaceful rally would continue and spread across the country.
