Chief Whip of the Senate, Olusola Adeyeye has said that Nigeria ‘may be forced to expel’ Multichoice company, DSTV; telecom giant, MTN; and Shoprite from Nigeria if the xenophobic attacks against Nigerians in South Africa persists.
Senator Adeyeye stated this while contributing to a motion titled ‘Resurgence of Xenophobic Attacks and Extra-judicial killings of Nigerians in South Africa’ by Senator Rose Oko on Tuesday, February 28, 2017, The Pulse Nigeria reports.
“If the xenophobic attack on Nigerians continues, maybe we will expel South African companies like DSTV, MTN and Shoprite from Nigeria,” Adeyeye said.
“We can also treat South Africans the same way that they are treating us but it’s not in our character to do so,” he added.
Contributing to the motion, deputy Senate president, Ike Ekweremadu noted that Nigeria had assisted South Africa during the apartheid period adding that some citizens of the country were forced to school and live in Nigeria.
Senate President Bukola Saraki noted that both countries have enjoyed healthy diplomatic relations in the past and called for an end to this xenophobic attacks.
“We must preserve our dignity and respect for Nigerians, we must be seen to be defending our people at all times,” the Senate President said.
The Senate resolved to send a ‘strong’ parliamentary delegation to the South African parliament to protest the xenophobic attacks on Nigerians.
The Red Chamber also invited the minister of foreign affairs to provide insight into government’s plans towards engaging the South African government effectively to end the xenophobic attack on Nigerians in the country.
The upper chamber condemned ‘in strong terms’ the return of xenophobic attacks and extra-judicial killings of Nigerians by the South African Police and citizens of the country.
The Senate urged the federal government to reconsider Nigeria’s diplomatic ties with South Africa if the ugly incidents of xenophobic attacks and killings of Nigerians in South Africa are not urgently halted by the South African government.