NANS seals MTN, DStv offices in Benue, Kaduna over xenophobia in S’Africa

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National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) yesterday stormed major streets of Makurdi, Benue State, to protest against killings of Nigerians in South Africa.

They sealed MTN and DSTV offices as well as Shoprite outlets, establishments owned by South Africans.

From Wurukum, the students marched through major streets of Makurdi carrying several placards depicting their disapproval of the xenophobic attacks.

Addressing newsmen at one of the MTN outlets, zonal national coordinator of NANS, Aba Oweicho Aba, vowed that Nigerian students would not allow South Africans to run business in Nigeria, as long as they continue to disrupt the peace of Nigerians in their country.

Aba said they were mandated to shut down all South African businesses in Nigeria, including MTN, DStv and Shoprite.

He wondered why Nigerians should be paid in bad coins, considering the role the country played in liberating South Africans during the apartheid era.

“If Nigerian businesses cannot enjoy peace and support to strive, just as South African businesses do in Nigeria, it is only reasonable that all South African businesses should be closed down.

But a manager of MTN in the state, Vera Obe, who addressed the students, expressed the organisation’s concern over the killing of Nigerians in South Africa.

She, however, said that concrete actions were being taken to stop the killings.

The students body also shutdown the firms’ offices in Kaduna to protest against uncontrolled xenophobic attacks on Nigerians.

NANS’ Director of Travels and Exchange, Dominic Philip, said the move became imperative to curb further attacks, looting, destruction and mindless killings of African nationalities, particularly Nigerians residing in South Africa.

He said African countries led by Nigeria, helped to install black majority rule in South Africa in 1994, in which Nigeria contributed immensely to agitations that eventually led to the emancipation of South Africans from white domination.

He lamented that no fewer than 118 Nigerians have been killed in South Africa in the last two years, adding: “Out of that number, 13 were reportedly killed by South African Police.”

NANS, therefore, urged the South African government to investigate the killings, provide accurate number of Nigerians so far killed and prosecute the perpetrators of xenophobic attacks to ensure justice and peace between both countries.