The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, NiDCOM, has advised Nigerians living in South Africa to close their businesses and avoid confrontations as xenophobic attacks intensify in parts of the country. The directive was issued on Friday following growing anti-foreigner protests targeting foreign-owned shops.
In a statement, NiDCOM said the advisory was based on a circular from the Nigerian Consulate-General in Johannesburg, which reported incidents of looting, property destruction and injuries in cities including East London, Cape Town, Durban and KwaZulu-Natal.
The commission added that intelligence indicates further protests are planned in Gauteng province between April 27 and 29, with demonstrators calling for the expulsion of foreign nationals. Nigerians have been urged to stay away from crowded areas, monitor local media and avoid engaging with protest groups.
NiDCOM said the Nigerian mission in South Africa is working with local police to ensure the safety of citizens, while the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Onoh, is engaging South African authorities over the situation.
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