News Thumb Magazine ..news reporting..
The Nigerian government says it would demand compensation from South African government over the killing of its citizens in the xenophobia attacks.
The Chairman of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, disclosed this in Akure, the Ondo State capital.
She spoke at the ‘1st Diaspora Lecture’ held at the Federal University of Technology Akure on Thursday evening.
Our reporter said the lecture, Role of Africans in Diaspora in the Transformation of a University of Technology’.
Speaking, Dabiri-Erewa said the attack on fellow Africans by South Africans was unpleasant and does not represent Pan Africanism.
According to her, no fewer than 127 Nigerians were killed in the last two years in South Africa due to xenophobic attacks.
Dabiri-Erewa, who was represented by her media aide, Abdulrrahman Balogun, said the situation had compelled the commission to sought support of governors in the creation an office for diaspora affairs.
She said, “We are already pressing on for compensations for those who have lost good and properties. We are pressing for justice too for those who have already lost their loved ones and killed.
“Also, we want the government of South Africa to prosecute those who have been arrested. It is not a crime for people to move especially within Africans or any part of the world.
“We are saying that if there is any Nigerians who commit any crime in any parts of the world he or she should be punished. Don’t say that the crime of one should be melted on others but we are always ready to protect our own citizens.
“This is why It is important that each states has diaspora desk to link with diaspora comission so that anything that has to do with Nigerians can address.”
