Xenophobic Attacks: S'African Ambassador Advocates Dialogue

Kasim Sumaina in Abuja

Following the xenophobic attacks against foreigners in South Africa, the country’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Lulu Mngulu, has appealed for dialogue in resolving the differences so as to nip the perennial occurrence in the bud.

Speaking as a guest on Arise TV Network, a sister company of THISDAY, the ambassador said: “We are appealing for peace, appealing that dialogue should remain the only way to addressing any differences. Of course, they also engaged the police to say that they must do their job, they must protect the community and must arrest those that have been fingered and the question of child trafficking and of course, appealing to the communities to also give information on these people who are unfortunately been attacked.”

Mngulu said despite the fact that there were complaints by the local South Africans about their houses being hijacked and subsequently used for drug trafficking and luring underaged children into prostitution, he added that: “As a country, our constitution is a democratic constitution and people have the right to air their views. But, for the sake of peace and for the sake of security, I will not support the xenophobic attacks. You are not going to challenge me to answer your question but, if you watched our television yesterday, about 150 people were arrested by the police.”

More to come…