National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) held a protest earlier today at the offices of three South African companies operating in Abeokuta, Ogun state. The affected companies are MTN, MultiChoice DSTV and Stanbic IBTC.
Students picketed the Oke-Ilewo branch of the company, protesting frequent Xenophobic attacks on Nigerians living in South Africa.
Azeez Adeyemi, the National Public Relations Officer of NANS led the protesting students with placards inscribed with words such as “South Africans have declared war; Enough is Enough; Nigerian Students can no longer keep quiet while South Africans kill Nigerians and All South African business interests must leave Nigeria now among others.
Over the years, 127 Nigerians have been reported to have lost their lives as a result of xenophobic attacks in South Africa.
The protest led to the closing down of the MTN office and a branch of MultiChoice DSTV at Oke-Ilewo, Abeokuta, Ogun State, while the attempts to lock up the Stanbic IBTC branch in the area was to no avail as both the management staff and security personnel attached to the bank deployed five Hilux vans filled with policemen from zone 2 Area Command, to ensure the protection of lives and property.
Addressing the press in front of the picketed banks, Mr Azeez Adeyemi said the effect of the protest t would send a strong signal to the South African government over the xenophobic attacks on Nigerians living in South Africa.
On the 25th of March this year, South Africa issued its five-year National Action Plan to fight against xenophobia, racism, and discrimination. The same day, violence by South Africans against foreign nationals erupted in the eastern eThekwini municipality, one of South Africa’s most heavily populated areas, which includes the city of Durban and surrounding towns.
The NANS PRO Adeyemi said the students’ body could no longer fold its arm and watch Nigerians being killed in South Africa.
He said, “The protest will cut across all the states of the Federation.”