by Azeez Adeniyi

Simon Adeoye, a 42-year-old South Africa-based Nigerian automobile mechanic on Tuesday narrated how he lost N240.6m (R10m) to the xenophobic attacks on Saturday.

While speaking on the phone from Pretoria, Adeoye said he received a call that his workshop has been set ablaze.

He said 29 cars, passports and documents were already destroyed.

By the time I got there, 29 cars of different makes, some Nigerian passports, documents of the workshop, money and other personal effects had been destroyed by fire,” he said.

He begged the Federal Government to assist him get back into business.

“I appeal to the Federal Government to assist me get back to business. Officials of the Nigerian mission have visited the workshop to do an assessment and we have yet to hear from them,” he said.

“At the moment, I have lost everything I have. I need urgent help to restart my business. This will also assist me to pay my workers who have families to cater for,” he added.

South Africans had on Saturday attacked and looted Nigerian-owned businesses.

The Nigerian Union in South Africa has also claimed that the South Africans are planning massive xenophobic attacks on February 22 and 23.

Azeez