RETURN OF XENOPHOBIC ATTACKS BY SOUTH AFRICANS: REPS SEEK URGENT ACTION
The Nigerian House of
Representatives has called on the Federal Government of Nigeria to immediately
send a High Powered delegation to the South African Government to express the
utmost disappointment and disapproval of the series of attacks meted out to Nigeria
citizens resident in the country. Rising under matter of urgent public
importance, Hon. Rita Orji who is the Chairperson, Committee on Diaspora drew
the attention of the chamber to the organized mob action by some South African
citizens targeting the wanton destruction of lives and properties belonging to
Nigerians.
She informed that these
recent spree of attacks speak volume to the fact that there has not been
any serious commitment by the South African Authorities to curtail the
senseless attacks on Nigerians and other foreigners in their country, as
graphic videos of the South African Police Officials are often seen standing-by
while the killings, maiming and destructions orchestrated by the mob are taking
place .She added that these act by the South African citizens amount to gross
violation of the United Nations charter forbidding any form of hostility
against foreigners by the host nation. She stated that the attacks are now
carried out at intervals of every Six months.
The lawmaker urged the
Federal Government to treat the matter with all sense of urgency it requires
because there is an intelligence report that there is yet a planned protest by
the same mob scheduled to hold on Friday, February 25, 2017. She prayed the
House to do what is necessary within it capacity to ensure that no Nigerian
residing in South Africa is gruesomely killed by these barbaric mob. Other
members of the Legislature lent their voices to the issue, including Hon. Leo
Ogor and Nnenna Elendu Ukeje. They decried the despicable attacks on Nigerians
and seized the moment to call on the South African Government not to be so much
in a hurry to forget history, particularly the role Nigeria played during their
dark days in apartheid.
Meanwhile, reactions have
continued to trail a communication from the the Acting President, Prof. Yemi
Osinbajo, informing the House of Representatives of the withholding of assent
to some Bills passed by the National Assembly and transmitted to the President
for his conventional assent before the Bills become laws of the Federation. In
the letter directed to the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara, the
President gave reasons for the rejection of the Bills; some of which were
hinged on lack of competence, economic recession and nonconformity with present
realities.
In his reaction, the
Speaker agreed with the Majority leader, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila that some of
the reasons given by the President for the withholding of assent to the Bills
would be critically examined, and if there are areas that are not convincing to
the legislature, then the necessary provisions of the constitution would be
invoked to override the presidential veto.