Guild of Editors condemns attack on Nigerians, others in South Africa

Seeks govt’s action on protection of citizens
The Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) has called on the Federal Government to be more responsive in protecting her citizens in foreign countries.

NGE also wants government to, as a matter of national interest, apply the country’s foreign policy of reciprocity that affects mutual relations between Nigeria and other countries.

Rising from its 2017 quarterly standing committee meeting in Osogbo, the Osun State capital, where it deliberated on issues affecting the Guild and the nation, the body particularly condemned the continuous xenophobic attacks on Nigerians and other African nationals in South Africa.

The editors, who expressed dismay at the conspiratorial silence of senior South African nationalists who know the enormous contributions of Nigeria to the emergence of the independent South Africa, said that the South African Institute of International Affairs recorded that Nigeria spent a whopping $61 billion between 1960 and 1995 in the fight against apartheid in that country.

A communique signed by its President, Funke Egbemode and General Secretary, Victoria Ibanga, said the Guild was not unmindful of the fact that South Africans are in Nigeria running successful businesses and, therefore, the violent actions of South Africans could push Nigerians into retaliation.

“Just as Nigerians are passionate about protecting their South African friends, they can also be passionate in protecting their own nationals. The Guild, however, enjoined Nigerians resident in South Africa to remain calm, law-abiding and go about their legitimate businesses even in the face of provocation.”

The NGE appreciated Governor Rauf Aregbesola, the government and good people of the state for their support in hosting the editors’ standing committee.