‘Nigerians in S’ Africa lose N21m to attacks’

The Nigerian Consul-General in South Africa, Uche Ajulu-Okeke, said on Sunday that Nigerians lost more than 1.2 million Rand (N21 million) in the on-going xenophobic attacks.

She told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) by phone from Johannesburg, South Africa, that the loss included looted shops, burnt shops, two burnt mechanic workshops, 11 burnt cars and two stolen cars, among others.

“Nigerians have compiled damage to their property and it is totalling about 1.2 million Rand or N21 million, which will be sent to the Federal Government for further action,” Ajulu-Okeke said, adding that in Durban, two of the three Nigerians who were wounded during attacks had been treated and discharged from the hospital.

The consul-general said she would go back to Durban to assess the situation on ground and meet with the provincial authority on security of Nigerians in that Province.

“The Nigerian mission in South Africa is on top of the situation. We are working hard to protect Nigerians in South Africa. Though, the task has not been easy, we are trying our best. In one of the hot spots at Jeppe, near Johannesburg, the mission assisted about 50 stranded Nigerians to re-settle.

“I have also visited the site of the attacks in Johannesburg to assess the damage and it was enormous.’’
According to her, the Nigerian mission would meet with all Nigerian union chapters in the nine provinces of South Africa on how to check the attacks.