Following attacks being launched against Nigerians in South Africa, causing destruction and loss of lives, the National Association of Nigerians (NANS), yesterday held a peaceful protest in Ekiti State, calling on President Muhammadu Buhari to stop the senseless carnage with immediate effect.
The protest was done in conjunction with the National Coalition for Yoruba Youth and Students.
The students protested from Ijigbo area of the state capital to the popular Fajuyi Park, which hindered free flow of vehicles along Ijigbo- Basiri highway for over an hour.
The students carried placards of various inscriptions to abuse the South African Government over the persistent xenophobic attacks on Nigerians.
Leaders of the protest, Coms Sunday Ashefon and Ojo Raymond, who addressed the crowd, said the protest was to warn South Africans to halt their barbaric act and to show that Nigerian students would not tolerate the violence against Nigerians living in South Africa.
Raymond, who is Vice Chairman of NANS/JCC Ekiti zone expressed concern over the killings of Nigerians in while urging Nigerian citizens to stop patronising MTN, DSTV, Stanbic IBTC and other investments owned by South Africans.
He advised Nigerian consumers that they should move over to alternative network providers in the country.
“You can’t be killing Nigerians and be expecting patronage for their businesses. Nigerians remain the major consumers of South African Companies’ products, is this the best way to pay us back”, he asked.
The President of National Coalition of Yoruba youth and Students, Com. Ashefon, called for the immediate release of the 36 persons arrested during a similar anti-xenophobic protest in Lagos.
He declared that the trend was unacceptable to the youths in Nigeria, saying that South African Police did not deem it fit to curb the menace, which he said signposted compromise and tacit support for crimes.
The Youth leader, who condemned in strong terms, the indiscriminate looting and killing of Nigerians, also gave a seven-day ultimatum to Nigerian government to stop the carnage, or the students body may result to self-help.
He said : “Nigerians in South Africa deserved to be treated with dignity, respect, freedom and mostly be protected from further provocation, looting and killings.
“The Protest against Xenophobic attacks in South Africa by various organizations across Africa has continued to linger while citizens are expecting the authority to arrest the situation. This is the best they can do under this situation”.
