The Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has said South African politicians are behind the series of xenophobic attacks Nigerians have suffered in the country in recent years.
Speaking on The Osasu Television Show on Saturday, the Presidential aide said the politicians often tell their people that Nigerians were the ones taking away their women and jobs.
She called on South African authorities to legally deal with foreigners who commit crimes in the country and not discriminate against Nigerians.
“Don’t forget that these attacks happened in the past. This is the seventh attack. The last one was in 2015… the King of Zulu made some remarks that were inciting, that led to the last attack.
“This particular one, let’s look at the circumstances. Fine, there are economic issues everywhere in the world. Politicians are campaigning and telling their people, ‘you know what, drive these criminals away, they are taking your jobs, and they are taking your women too,” she said.
The ex-lawmaker charged MTN, DSTV and other multinationals operating in Nigeria to, as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility, lead the awareness campaign against xenophobia.
