Nigeria’s Response To S/Africa Xenophobia Weak- HURIWA

By Chuks Ekpeneru 

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has described as weak the response by the Federal Government to the persistent bloody xenophobic violence targeting other Africans and Nigerians in South Africa by black South Africans.

HURIWA in a media statement by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, and the National Media Affairs Director, Miss Zainab Yusuf, at the same time praised the music star Tiwa Savage for withdrawing from the lucrative DSTV show in her reaction to the development.

HURIWA urged President Muhammadu Buhari to take concrete, forceful and impactful actions against South Africa to put an end to the simmering insinuations that his administration has so far failed to act decisively because majority of those affected by the xenophobic violence in South Africa are Igbo whom he the President had stated never voted for him.

HURIWA wondered why President Buhari has not been proactive to confront the South African government over these killings of Nigerians in South Africa just like the vigorous and result-oriented way his government acted to save the Kano State-born young lady caught and sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia for trafficking in hard drug which President Buhari successfully obtained clemency and rapid freedom.

The statement described as regrettable a situation when other smaller African nations have rolled out series of sanctions against the South African nation following the failure of the South African government to stop the incessant violent xenophobic crimes against other black Africans living in South Africa.

HURIWA said the belated withdrawal by Nigeria from the forthcoming World Economic forum in South Africa was late in coming since even smaller African nations had acted much earlier than Nigeria. The group said it was laughable that Nigeria under the current dispensation is becoming a giant with clay foots.

“The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) is deeply appreciative of the swift response by some key players on Nigeria and around the world regarding the xenophobic killings of Nigerians in South Africa.

“The concern that has been raised by Nigerians all over the world and Africans in the world especially Africans within the countries bordering South Africa are quiet impressive. Some good actions include the withdrawal of Nigerian music star, Tiwa Savage, from a proposed highly profitable show in SA shows that she is a remarkable patriot.

“The actions that were taken by some countries like DR Congo, Rwanda, Zambia and Zimbabwe in pulling out of the World Economic Forum in SA is visionary. It shows that, that is how committed statesman ought to behave in the face of such cruel xenophobic attacks targeting their people.

“We think that this may have instigated the delayed action of the Nigerian President Buhari in pulling out of the proposed world economic forum in SA.

“The story of Nigeria’s withdrawal was given through a source instead of coming out to address the nation directly. The journalists wrote the story quoting a source instead of a direct address from the presidency.

“So, the president of Nigeria must be brave enough to defend Nigerians in these dangerous times. Be that as it may, it is a good decision Nigeria has made if indeed is what the government has decided to do. It is also good if it is true that Nigeria has withdrawn her ambassador from South Africa, that is a very wonderful step but we feel that those steps are not far reaching enough if indeed they are factually accurate.

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