Xenophobic Attacks: Nigeria Won’t Recall Envoy In South Africa - FG

Federal Government has ruled out the possibility of recalling its High Commissioner to South Africa in protest against the renewed xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in the former apartheid enclave.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Olusola Enikanolaye, stated this in Abuja while responding to callers on ‘Tuesday night’ in an interactive programme on Nigerian Television Authority on xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in South Africa.

Enikanolaye said Nigeria had two representatives in South Africa – an Acting High Commissioner and a deputy – who he said had been doing a great job attending to the situation accordingly.

He said, “We are in touch with our representative in South Africa, Amb. Martins Kuban, the Acting High Commissioner in Pretoria, and Amb. Okeke, the deputy, in Johannesburg.

“Really we do not think we need to recall our envoys in South Africa because they are doing a great job; they are regularly in touch with the community leaders. They have dedicated telephone lines to Nigerians in South Africa to report any occurrence. They are doing a great job and in our view, there is no need to recall them home.”

Enikanolaye added that Nigeria was working round the clock to ensure that the issue was diplomatically addressed, saying the ministry had a series of meetings with the South African High Commissioner to Nigeria.

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