Panic has gripped Nigerians in South Africa’s Eastern Cape following xenophobic attacks linked to the controversial installation of a Nigerian as Igwe Ndigbo.
Nigerians woke up to chaos on Monday morning as South Africans took to the streets of Albany and Buffalo under KuGombo, popularly known as East London, to protest against the coronation of a Nigerian Igbo chief, Solomon Eziko, which took place early March.
The installation was greeted with outrage from South Africans, who cited clashes of traditional values and disrespect to the sovereignty of their country.
Viral videos showed Nigerians being humiliated and battered by South African people and security operatives, who demanded their exit from the country.
In one of the videos, South African MKP Labour and Civic Organisation officials asked a Nigerian man to close his tent, pack his wares and leave their country.
Another video revealed how South Africans trooped out in their numbers to force Nigerians to close businesses and leave their country.
In another video, Nigerians ran helter-skelter, scampering for safety as their hosts dehumanised them.
An opportunity for attack
The President of the Nigerian Citizen Association South Africa, Rev Frank Onyekwelu, who spoke with Saturday PUNCH on the matter, said South Africans used the opportunity to launch xenophobic attacks.
According to him, before the demonstrations, South Africans had been threatening Nigerians and other foreigners.
“A number of them have been going with the agenda that they want to reclaim South Africa for South Africans. Hence they want all African foreigners, legally or illegally, to go. As a result of that, they have been pushing out hate speeches against foreigners in the public, social media, television, and radio,” Onyekwelu said.
The Nigerian community leader said South Africans marched to the streets in East London to hide under the guise of the coronation to destroy Nigerian businesses, loot their shops and burn their cars.
“They said even if the world sees it as xenophobic, they don’t care. They claimed that they fought against apartheid by themselves.
Properties of Nigerians were damaged, cars were torched, and businesses were looted particularly in the provinces of KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape.
“In other places where there were no attacks, they approached Nigerians, hauled their goods on the streets, told them to vacate the areas, and leave South Africa. There were threats to the lives and properties of Nigerians,” he added.
The President-General of the Nigerian Union South Africa, Mr Smart Nwobi, said many Nigerians had remained indoors, while several businesses were shut over safety concerns.
“Our people are still fearful. They are indoors. Many shops are still locked. Some of the shops were damaged and looted, and we are going to assess the damage.
“We are waiting for other stakeholders to come out and speak. The citizens are looking forward to hearing them speak, to say that this thing was misconstrued and blown out of proportion,” he added.
Nwobi, a human rights lawyer, noted that the situation stemmed from a misunderstanding of a cultural event, urging stakeholders to intervene.
He explained that Nigerian groups in South Africa regularly organised cultural exhibitions and ceremonies, stressing that such associations were legally registered under South African law.
According to him, the event in question is symbolic and does not seek to challenge or replicate South Africa’s traditional leadership structure.
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