The Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, Most Rev. Alfred Adewale Martins, has condemned in strong terms the continuous attacks on Nigerians in particular and other Africans in South Africa.
Martins said on Wednesday in Lagos that the attacks were barbaric, reprehensible and an attack on the very core of African brotherhood.
He urged the Federal Government to deal decisively with the issue using very strong diplomatic means so as to stem the tide of the attacks.
“The South African Police officials seen publicly rousing the peoples’ anger against foreigners in their country without any visible repercussion gives an impression of some official endorsement of the mob action.
“Our government needs to pursue this to its logical conclusion.
“It is the responsibility of every government to protect the lives and properties of its citizens within and outside the country,” he said in a statement.
“Any attack on Nigerian citizens should elicit a swift response from the government not to talk of them being killed with impunity.
“The insufficient response of our government in confronting the matter with the seriousness it deserves does not project us in a good light as a country that cares enough for the welfare of its citizens.
“My fear is that if decisive diplomatic measures are not taken now, this matter may go out of hand with enormous consequences for all.”
Read Also:
Martins wondered why fellow blacks who had, and are still benefiting from their relationship with the nation had chosen to pay us back by unleashing so much violence against Nigerina citizens.
“This is not the kind of South Africa that Nelson Mandela laboured for.”
According to him, this marks another wake-up call for Nigerian leaders to work even more assiduously so that the social and economic situation of the nation can be better.
“So that migration of our nationals, legal or illegal, can be reduced and if people who migrated get badly treated, they can come back home fully assured that they would be in good stead,’’ he said.
The Catholic Archbishop, however, urged Nigerians in South Africa to continue to ensure that they present the nation in good light, going about only legitimate businesses and professions.
“I urge Nigerians in South Africa to go about only lawful activities in that country and desist from criminal actions that tarnish the image of the country,’’ he said.
He urged Nigerian youths to continue to show restraint and allow relevant government agencies to exhaust all diplomatic means geared at stopping the attacks and bringing the perpetrators to book as soon as possible.
The cleric discouraged any form of reprisal attacks on organisations owned by South Africans in Nigeria, saying that it did not offer any solution to the problem.
“When we give in to the urge to engage in reprisal attacks, how different are we from those perpetuating these crimes against humanity? An eye for an eye eventually leaves everyone blind,’’ he added. (NAN)
