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Xenophobia: ‘Over 400 Nigerians Ready For Evacuation From S’Africa’ …One Killed, Five Injured In Fresh Attacks
The Nigerian Mission in South Africa has said that no fewer than 400 Nigerians have indicated interest and registered to be evacuated from South Africa following the recent xenophobic attacks.
Nigeria’s Consul General in Johannesburg, Godwin Adama, said this in a telephone interview with newsmen, yesterday, in Abuja.
Adama noted that Air Peace had offered to airlift those willing to return home sequel to the attacks on Nigerians and their businesses by South Africans.
According to him, the first batch of Nigerians who are willing to return home would be repatriated on Wednesday.
“We have more than enough for that aircraft. Over 400 Nigerians have already registered; more are still coming”, he said.
The Nigerian High Commissioner to South Africa, Kabiru Bala, also said that Nigerians had responded positively in good numbers.
Bala said that the mission was equally responding to the needs of those willing to return, especially those who had issues with their documents.
“We are documenting them. Those without travel documents, we shall provide them with Emergency Travel Certificates.
“There are other governmental procedures that we must observe. Relevant agencies of government in Nigeria must be informed and must be ready to receive the returnees.
“Hard work is now going on at the High Commission and Consulate in this regard. As soon as all procedures and relevant protocols are observed, the return is assured and guaranteed.
“A little more patience will be helpful. The response of Nigerians is just amazing,’’ Bala said.
President, Nigeria Citizens Association, South Africa, Ben Okoli, said all efforts were geared towards the evacuation of those who were ready to come back home.
Okoli said the figure of those ready to come was in hundreds as many had lost their means of livelihood and had nothing to fall back on.
Meanwhile, two persons were stabbed, yesterday, in a resurgence of xenophobic protests in Johannesburg, South Africa.
The President, Nigerian Union South Africa, Adetola Olubajo, confirmed this to our correspondent in a telephone interview.
He, however, could not speak on the nationalities of the victims or the severity of the injuries as the police had yet to reveal the identities of the victims.
Olubajo said, “It’s confirmed that two people were stabbed by Taxi Rank and Jeppe Road in Johannesburg Central Business District, and we have informed the Consul-General of Nigeria in Johannesburg and the police in Jeppestown.
“I’m not sure (of their nationalities) as the police have taken them to hospital. Their identities were not disclosed. The police are using rubber bullets to disperse them.”
According to the NUSA president, there was a meeting yesterday morning which the police minister was supposed to address.
He said a popular South African activist, Mangosuthu Buthelezi, addressed the South Africans, calling for peace, but some of the protesters got angry and left.
Olubajo added, “Now, they are chanting ‘foreigners must go’ with some dangerous weapons in their hands. They have moved from Jeppestown to Bramfontein even to the CBD Taxi Rank in town.
“Though we have been monitoring the incident for the past three hours now, police have not been able to disperse them. Our fear is that they may start looting again in the night.
“We have sent an alert to the Nigerians. Immediately, we used our various social media platforms to do that. We sent it to our structures and the entirety of Nigerians. Most Nigerians are aware of this by now because there are photos and videos, and it is also televised by SABC.”
He noted that a lot of Nigerians lived in the affected area though some had relocated because last Sunday’s looting and vandalism of Nigerian businesses by South Africans occurred in the same area.
“Quite a number of our people live around Jeppestown and Fountain. We are talking about Johannesburg, which is very big but Jeppestown is close the eastern part of Johannesburg where those hostiles.
“Jules Street is closer to them; it’s a major road they would take to the CBD. MTN Taxi Rank is the major bus stop there. They have virtually captured that taxi rank and Bramfontein,” Olubajo explained.
However, one person has been killed in renewed xenophobic attacks in Johannesburg, South Africa, police have confirmed.
According to news24.com, Gauteng police spokesperson, Captain Kay Makhubele, also confirmed that five people had been injured.
The casualties were also confirmed by the President, Nigerian Union South Africa, Adetola Olubajo, in a text message to our correspondent, which read, “Police has confirmed one person dead and five injured.”
A group of men, some of whom wielded sticks, pangas and tree branches, reportedly marched through the city centre after disrupting a meeting in which the President Emeritus of the Inkatha Freedom Party, Mangosuthu Buthelezi, spoke to hostel residents following a week of deadly xenophobic violence.
Makhubele said 16 people were arrested for public violence and possession of stolen property.
Several shops were forced to close their doors as the protesters damaged property and looted several businesses.
Meanwhile, NUSA is calling on all Nigerians to stay away from hot spots where the ongoing violent protest march by Zulu hostel dwellers in Johannesburg is taking place and equally be at alert as it may spread across the province of Gauteng and beyond.
The Publicity Secretary of the union, Habib Salihu, in a statement, yesterday, said this was to avoid a repeat of the violence recorded last week which led to “monumental loss of properties and innocent lives.”
The Zulu hostel dwellers were said to have walked out and disrupted a gathering which was being addressed by Buthelezi earlier, yesterday and marched around Jules street towards MTN taxi rank and Bramfontein chanting “foreigners must leave the country” songs.
The statement read, “The demonstration is still ongoing, hence we have warned/alerted our people/structures through various media platforms affiliated with our organisation.
“We urge the law enforcement agents to please be proactive in dealing with the prevalent situation so that lives and properties of inhabitants in the Republic, especially African foreign migrants that appear to be the primary target, are protected.
“Our mission in Johannesburg has been informed.”
The Rivers State Ministry of Culture and Tourism has floated a culture content platform in collaboration with digital television group, Multichoice.
Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Mr. Freddy Ndigbara, disclosed this after a meeting with MultiChoice Head of Content Acquisition, Don Dotun Ojon, in Port Harcourt.
He assured that content entrepreneurs and film makers would enjoy the platform by promoting culture and other contents to sell the states tourism potentials.
He said MultiChoice M-net was now open to increase its patronage for content shots on locations in Rivers State, describing the State as one that has numerous potentials for film tourism.
“We were privileged to have Don Ojon with us at the Rivers International Film Festival (RIFF) at the weekend in Bonny and he saw, first hand, the numerous sites and opportunities that are open to creatives in the State. After that, we felt it was important to deepen the conversation and he obliged. This is a cheering news for the sector in the State,” he said.
Ndigbara stated that “Rivers State has many more untold stories to tell, many more contents to reel out and the assurances from the M-net Acquisition Manager is an indication that the industry in the state will soon enjoy a new lease of life”.
The Permanent Secretary thanked Ojon for the visit and assured that creatives in the State would grap this opportunity and show the world that Rivers State is a major hub for film tourism in Nigeria.
On his part, Ojon said the visit was to discuss on ways of promoting tourism in the State using creatives and film.
Ojon said although the company has recently been acquired by canal+ France and is undergoing restructuring, he would promote the chances of Rivers State to host the MultiChoice talent factory in the State.
With Asaba, capital of Delta State, being saturated, Ojon said the next port is Rivers State, which he said is capable of building fresh crop of creatives, new locations, new story lines and concepts.
He, therefore, called for collaboration from stakeholders in the State.
Kevin Nengia
Barring last minute changes, the presidential campaign train of the All Progressives Congress (APC) will storm Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital, tomorrow.
This is according to a campaign timetable released by the APC Campaign Council last month.
The Tide reports that the APC presidential campaign kicked off in Kaduna on October 24 with President Bola Tinubu in attendance.
The campaign train later moved to Cross River, Gombe, Nasarawa, and Ekiti on November 2, 3, 4 and 5 respectively with the Vice President, Kashim Shettima representing the President at the rallies.
President Tinubu is personally scheduled to attend 12 states including Rivers, Kaduna, Plateau, Oyo, Borno, Enugu, Bauchi, Sokoto, Delta, Kano, Adamawa and Lagos.
The Rivers State rally, scheduled to hold at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium, Port Harcourt, is expected to witness a large crowd of party supporters drawn from a coalition of political parties in the State.
The party is expected to round off its presidential campaign in Lagos State on January 9, 2027.
The Tide reports that Tinubu has not visited Rivers State as President since he assumed office in May 2023. His last physical visit to the State was before his inauguration on Wednesday, May 3 – Thursday, May 4, 2023, when he was hosted by then Governor Nyesom Wike in Port Harcourt to commission the Rumuola/Rumuokwuta Flyover and the Magistrates’ Court Complex.
Tomorrow’s visit will be his first to the State since assuming office.
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has charged traditional rulers in the State to maintain neutrality, ensure fairness and uphold peace in their domains as the country prepares for the 2027 general elections.
Fubara gave the charge on Wednesday while declaring open the 126th, 127th and 128th Combined Quarterly Meeting of the Rivers State Traditional Rulers Council, in Port Harcourt.
The governor said the primary function of traditional rulers is to administer justice and ensure fairness, saying their conduct must not lead to division and unmanageable crises.
“Let me therefore, request, if that is the right word to use, that please, as we are entering into this political season actively, everyone should ensure that your conduct promoted peace in your place. Your actions should not be what would lead to the division and multiple crisis that we cannot manage as a government.
“I think with that, we can all live as one and we can also continue to make this progress that we are trying with all our mind, our body and our soul, to ensure that we deliver to our dear State,” he said.
Fubara urged the royal fathers to abide by the oath and constitution they swore to before ascending their respective stools, in the interest of stability and progress of the State.
He also enjoined them to set aside individual sentiments and place the interest of Rivers State above personal considerations, noting that this principle has guided his own day-to-day governance of the State.
“I want to enjoin everyone to keep aside issues of individual sentiments and ensure that the interest of our state supersedes whatever thing that we have in our mind. This is not just what I’m saying here, it is what I’ve also practiced and displayed in my day-to-day life in the governance of our dear State,” he said.
On the appeal for improved welfare for traditional rulers, the governor clarified that the delay in actualising some of the requests they made in the past was not from the government but from the inability of the Council to put its house in order.
Fubara explained that the issue of stipends paid to the traditional rulers by the local government councils, was a statutory benefit provided for in the constitution and not what a state governor can change by mere verbal pronouncements.
He assured that he remains a man of his word and will fulfill his promises to the traditional rulers before leaving office, next year.
He reaffirmed his respect for the traditional institution as custodians of culture and the closest link to the people, thanking them for their prayers and support.
The governor urged the royal fathers to ensure that the combined quarterly meeting featured fruitful deliberations that will strengthen peace and development in the State.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers and Paramount Ruler of Apara Kingdom, His Royal Majesty, Eze Chike Amadi Worlu Wodo, expressed profound gratitude to the State Government for its efforts in maintaining a cordial relationship with the traditional institution.
Wodo highlighted the importance of traditional rulers in conflict resolution, noting that their closeness to the people places them in a strategic position to mediate in disputes involving chieftaincy matters, family disputes and land ownership in their respective communities.
The royal father drew the attention of the State Government to some challenges affecting the performance of the traditional institution, particularly the lack of official utility vehicles and logistical support needed to discharge its responsibilities effectively.
He also appealed for improved monthly stipends and better welfare provisions to reflect prevailing economic realities.
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