Xenophobic Attacks: Ekweremadu leads Senate Delegation to South Africa

DEPUTY Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, PDP, Enugu West is leading a seven- member delegation of the Senate to South Africa following the return of Xenophobic attacks in South Africa where Nigerians have been attacked, injured and property destroyed.

Other members of the Senate team to engage their fellow parliamentarians on the matter as announced by Senate President Bukola Saraki during plenary Wednesday are Senate leader, Senator Ahmad Lawan, APC, Yobe North; Senate Chief Whip, Senator Olusola Adeyeye, APC, Osun Central; Senator Shehu Sani, APC, Kaduna Central; Senator Magnus Abe, APC, Rivers East and Senator Stella Oduah, PDP, Anambra North. 

It would be recalled that the Senate on Tuesday, condemned in strong terms, the return of Xenophobic attacks in South Africa, just as it described the action as extra-judicial killings of Nigerians by both the South African police and South Africans on Nigerians. 

The Senate also advised the federal government to reconsider Nigeria’s diplomatic ties with South Africa with a view to averting the recurrent cases of xenophobic attacks and extra-judicial killings of Nigerians in South Africa. The Upper Chambers had also resolved to send a delegation to South Africa to engage their fellow parliamentarians on the matter. The resolutions of the Senate on Tuesday were sequel to a motion by Senator Rose Oko, PDP, Cross River North and titled, ” Resurgence of Xenophobic Attacks and Extra-judicial Killings of Nigerians in South Africa.” 

It was co- sponsored by three other Senators. Senator Oko who expressed concerns over recurrent cases of xenophobic attacks and extra-judicial killings of Nigerians in South Africa, had said that on February 18, this year, South Africans attacked and looted businesses belonging to Nigerians in Pretoria, pointing out that the acts violated Article 5 of the United Nations Universal Declaration on Human Rights which she said provided that “no one shall be subjected to torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment.” She has also recalled that in 2016, 20 Nigerians were killed under similar circumstances over allegations of drug trafficking without a recourse to legal processes and the principle of fair hearing.