SA Xenophobic attacks: Ghanaians rescued, Nigerians deported, Congolese warned

The xenophobic violence that has rocked South Africa in the recent days seems to have hit Nigeria more than other African countries. Africa’s most populous nation have been the most vocal in calls for South Africa to arrest the situation.

Other African countries are also warning their nationals to take precautions while in the rainbow nation.

Among them, the Republic of Congo and Ghana. Congo has warned citizens to stay safe whiles Ghana has rescued 18 nationals who sent distress calls to the High Commission.

Nigerians deported from South Africa

Local media portals confirmed that some 97 nationals were deported from South Africa. They arrived in Lagos on Monday morning.

Reports indicate that they were kicked out for alleged civil and criminal offences. They comprised of 95 males and two females. Six were deported for drug-related offences, 10 for criminal offences and the others on alleged immigration offences.

“Those deported for drug and criminal offences have been handed over to the police for prosecution, while others with civil cases were left to go home after profiling by the officials of the Nigeria Immigration Service, NIS, at the airport,’‘ an Immigration official is quoted to have said.

Nigeria’s legislature – the Senate and House of Representatives – have decided to send delegations to South Africa to seek a diplomatic overview of the attacks.

Congo government expresses reservations

The Republic of Congo has also expressed reservations in the situation. A circular from the Embassy of the Congo in Pretoria reminds Congolese nationals “wherever they are, to take precautionary measures aimed at preserving the individual integrity of each person”.

The warning is believed to be connected with the “tragic death of one Hoven Moussiossio-Souka”, a Congolese based in Cape Town. The Congolese embassy said it had been notified of the death which occurred on Saturday, February 25.

The embassy said it had sought “high-level assistance from the South African authorities” to “determine the exact circumstances of the murder and establish those responsible”.

Af du Sud : l’ambassade du Congo invite ses citoyens à plus de vigilance après le décès d’un de ses citoyens ▼ pic.twitter.com/NJNxKWgA4o

— Zamo Alliance (@alliancezamo) March 1, 2017

Ghana mission in Pretoria ‘saves’ 18 nationals

Ghana’s mission in Pretoria also said on Monday that they had rescued some 18 nationals from the attacks after they placed calls to the mission.

The Foreign Affairs Minister, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, told the country’s parliament last week that Ghanaians in South Africa were paranoid over the attack on foreigners.

“In Mamelodi, a suburb in Pretoria, there is general fear and apprehension within the various foreign communities including that of Ghana following a decision by a local to organize an anti-foreigner march today to protest at what he referred to as South African nationals being tired of enslavement and being deprived of job opportunities in their own country,” she added.

She assured that her outfit was doing all it could to roll out stringent measures to ensure nationals caught in the crisis were secured.