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🇳🇬 Nigeria /Culture & Society

No Nigerians killed in South Africa, envoy assures

From The Punch · () English

Translated from English and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Nigeria's Acting Ambassador to South Africa, Temitope Ajayi, stated that recent viral clips of xenophobic attacks did not depict the true situation, asserting no Nigerians were killed or had their shops looted.
  • Ajayi addressed concerns about foreigners, including Nigerians, being accused of taking jobs from South Africans, questioning the skills of protesters and highlighting that employment is based on employer prerogative.
  • He also responded to allegations of foreigners committing most crimes in South Africa, stating he lacked statistics to support the claim.

Nigeria's Acting Ambassador to South Africa, Temitope Ajayi, has sought to allay fears among Nigerians following viral clips depicting xenophobic attacks in South Africa. He asserted that while demonstrations occurred, they were managed by police and resulted in no physical harm or looting of Nigerian businesses.

Some of the images in circulation didn’t depict the true situation, and we are trying to manage the matter so as not to put our people, particularly those who are not here, in panic.

· Temitope AjayiAddressing concerns about viral clips of xenophobic attacks.

Ajayi addressed the narrative that foreigners, particularly Nigerians, are taking jobs from South Africans. He questioned the employability of the protesters, suggesting that employers prioritize skills for business success. He noted that many Nigerians in South Africa are self-employed and possess specialized skills that may be misunderstood by those lacking them.

We must say that the demonstration went without any form of violence, and I can confirm that no Nigerian has been killed and no Nigerian shops have been looted.

· Temitope AjayiReassuring about the safety of Nigerians during recent demonstrations.

Responding to accusations that foreigners are responsible for a significant portion of crimes in South Africa, Ajayi stated he did not possess the statistics to substantiate these claims. The ambassador's comments aim to manage perceptions and strengthen diplomatic ties between the two nations amidst ongoing tensions.

What created some fears is the anti-foreigner and xenophobic rhetoric, but beyond that, no physical injury was inflicted on anybody.

· Temitope AjayiClarifying the impact of anti-foreigner sentiment versus physical harm.
About this summary

Originally published by The Punch in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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