Nigeria’s Acting Ambassador to South Africa, Temitope Ajayi, speaks with DANIEL AYANTOYE on xenophobic tensions, allegations of crimes involving Nigerians in South Africa, and ongoing efforts to address negative perceptions and strengthen diplomatic relations between both countries
recent viral clips on xenophobic attacks in South Africa have become a cause for concern for Nigerians. What is the situation?
Some of the images in circulation didn’t depict the true situation, and we are trying to manage the matter so as not to put our people, particularly those who are not here, in panic. We have some parents who have their children schooling in South Africa who, when they see such images, begin to fret. Yes, there were demonstrations, and all the foreigners tried to protect themselves and their businesses. We must say that the demonstration went without any form of violence, and I can confirm that no Nigerian has been killed and no Nigerian shops have been looted. Nobody was attacked because it happened under the watchful eyes of the police, who guided them. What created some fears is the anti-foreigner and xenophobic rhetoric, but beyond that, no physical injury was inflicted on anybody.
