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Akinwande Soji-Ojo
The Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria, South Africa, has alerted Nigerians living in the country of a planned xenophobic attacks on foreign nationals.
This was contained in a memo addressed to Nigerians living in South Africa, a copy of which was made available to newsmen by Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), on Monday.
In the memo dated August 24, the consular section of the high commission wrote: “This is to advise Nigerians living in South Africa to be vigilant and exercise caution in their activities due to the recent utterances of the proponents of the Operation Dudula and their threats to attack foreign nationals in this country.”
According to the memo, the Operation Dudula group, had through public notice and video clips on social media announced a march against foreign migrants in South Africa from the September 2.
The march, according to the embassy, is targeted at foreign business owners, shops and undocumented foreign nationals.
Violent attacks on Nigerians and other Africans have regularly erupted in South Africa partly because some South Africans accuse foreigners of dealing drugs or taking their jobs.
In 2019, at least 10 people were killed, including two foreigners, and many businesses were destroyed, prompting Nigeria to recall its ambassador while President Muhammadu Buhari sent a special envoy to South Africa.
The South African Government who had largely blamed the attacks on criminals, later admitted that some of it was being driven by xenophobia.
The attacks led Nigeria to boycott the World Economic Forum in South Africa which was to be attended by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.