by Azeez Adeniyi
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has said the recent attack on two Nigerians in Polokwane in the Limpopo Province of South Africa was not a xenophobic attack.
In a statement by its spokesperson, Clement Aduku on Wednesday, the ministry said two Nigerians were said to be injured and properties destroyed in the fracas.
“Contrary to media reports, the recent incident was a scuffle that took place on Tuesday, 14 March, 2017 in a motor park in Polokwane in the Limpopo Province in which two Nigerians were injured one of who has already been discharged from the hospital and the other receiving treatment,” Aduku said.
He said the incident was barely few days after a Nigerian delegation held a meeting with top officials and parliamentarians in South Africa.
He added that Nigeria’s Acting High Commissioner in South Africa, Martin Cobham was ensuring that the situation does not escalate.
I think sometimes government does not help matters. Nigerians are being attacked repeatedly in a particular country and our government is busy trying to define whether the attacks are xenophobic or something else? Is the government trying to placard Nigerians? Why for God sake? Does it matter what the attacks are called? Protect Nigerians wherever they are and stop trying to define the nature of the attacks. Why should anybody attack them anyway?