Sunday Aborisade and Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja
The National Assembly has suspended all official visits to South Africa and directed its lawmakers, committees, officials and staff to boycott legislative activities hosted or organised by South African authorities over reported persistent xenophobic attacks against Nigerians and other African nationals in the country.
The decision came amid reports of the killing of two Nigerians, Bishop Michael Taiwo Fakunle and James Uchechukwu Nwankwo, in separate incidents in Johannesburg.The suspension followed consultations between the leaderships of the Senate and the House of Representatives and will remain in force until further notice, according to a statement signed yesterday by the Clerk to the National Assembly, Kamoru Ogunlana.
The National Assembly leadership expressed “grave concern” over reports of xenophobic attacks, killings, violence, intimidation, destruction of property and other forms of hostility directed at Nigerians and other African nationals resident in South Africa.It said it was particularly disturbed by reports that Nigerians had been killed, injured and displaced, while others had been forced to abandon their businesses, investments, homes and other property following recurring violent attacks.
