Xenophobia: We did not shut gate against Nigerians in South Africa - Mission
- Nigeria mission in South Africa has denied shutting down its gate against Nigerians
- Ambassador Kabiru Bala described the report as appalling and wicked
- According to Bala, the Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria and Nigerian Consulate in Johannesburg had offered immense assistance to the affected Nigerians in the crisis
Amb. Kabiru Bala, the Nigeria high commissioner to South Africa, says the missions never shut its door against Nigerians who came to register their grievances over xenophobic attack in that country.
Bala said this in a telephone conversation with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) from Pretoria, South Africa on Wednesday, September 4.
The high commissioner debunked the claims in some quarters that the mission in Pretoria was attacked by Nigerians in South Africa because it did not give them attention.
Bala, who said the story was appalling and wicked, added, “the two missions were never closed. Two groups of Nigerians came to the high commission last week Thursday. They were received by the acting high commissioner while I was away.
“They came around 9p.m. and were received and assured of safety and security. So it was not true that they were turned back.
“Let those who came and were either turned back or found the embassy closed give specific date and time."
He said that the Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria and Nigerian Consulate in Johannesburg had offered immense assistance to the affected Nigerians in the crisis.
Bala said that the mission had started to compile a list of Nigerians affected for engagement with the South African government and other stakeholders.
According to him, all Nigerian victims of the current attacks are requested to come forward to report their situation to the High Commission and the Consulate.
Ben Okoli, the president of Nigerian Citizens Association in South Africa (NICASA), who corroborated the high commissioner's claim, stressed that the report was not true.
“We are collecting inventories of what our people have lost which I will make available to the high commissioner in due time,” Okoli said.
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Meanwhile, Legit.ng had reported that Nigerian mission in South Africa claimed that no Nigerian died but over 50 vehicles and other property worth millions of dollars owned by Nigerians were vandalised, burnt or stolen, in fresh attacks.
The Nigeria Consul General in Johannesburg, Godwin Adama, spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in a telephone conversation from Johannesburg, on Tuesday, September 3.
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Nigerians’ retaliation over Xenophobic attacks by South Africans; right or wrong? | Legit TV
Source: Legit.ng
