Militants threaten South African firms over xenophobic attacks

• Obasanjo accuses Zuma of insincerity
• Senate sends delegation to Pretoria

Militant groups in the Niger Delta have asked the 18 South African companies and personnel to leave the region or risk attacks.

The militants warned of imminent attack on all South Africans business interests and added they could no longer sit and watch innocent Nigerians being slaughtered in the southern Africa nation.

The threat was contained in a joint petition to the South African High Commission in Nigeria and signed by General John Duku of the Niger Delta Watchdogs, General Ekpo Ekpo of Niger Delta Volunteers and General Hart Bradford of the Niger Delta Strike Force.

The militants, after their meeting yesterday in Port Harcourt, condemned the recent attack on Nigerians and pledged reprisals that would target the country’s economic interests in Nigeria.

The petition, a copy of which was sent to The Guardian said in part: “Our attention has been drawn to the series of unprovoked attack, looting, shutting down of business offices, killing and maiming of Nigerian nationals living in South Africa.”

The militants maintained that the South African government and her citizens have a number of businesses in Nigeria, going about their normal businesses peacefully, making huge profits and living in a very friendly environment with Nigerians.

According to the militants, “It is so regrettable that a country and nationals that had enjoyed the greatest affection of Nigerians was now repaying such hospitality with mindless killing and brutality.

To this end, the militants urged the Nigerian government to shut all the business premises owned by South Africans such as MTN, Multi-choice, Shoprite, Eskom Nigeria, South African Breweries (SAB Miller) and others. “Failure to do this within one month, we shall commence attack on the firms.”

Meanwhile, former president Olusegun Obasanjo has condemned the attack on Nigerians in South Africa, accusing the host government of “insincerity.”

He spoke yesterday in Abeokuta, Ogun State, while receiving leaders and members of the Nigeria Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru, Jos, at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), led by its chairman, Major General Laurence Onoja (rtd).

To Obasanjo, the negative developments in South Africa “have betrayed Nigeria, which played a huge role in rescuing the country from apartheid. I blame the youths of the country for the attacks but I will apportion more blame to the leaders of that country that allowed the attacks against fellow Africans for whatever reason.”

To explore diplomatic solutions, the Senate yesterday announced the names of delegation that will travel to South Africa to meet its parliament.

The delegation is led by Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, Senator Shehu Sani and others.