L
LequteMan
Guest
Chairman of the HoR Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs Senator Monsurat Sunmonu, has warned that henceforth attacks on Nigerians in South Africa would be “tit-for-tat.”
She said if the trend continued, South Africans and South African businesses should be prepared for reprisal attacks. She said their firms would also suffer similar attacks being meted to Nigerian businesses in South Africa.
She spoke on Tuesday when Minister of State, Foreign Affairs, Hajia Khadija Bukar Abba-Ibrahim, appeared before the committee.
“I will say that while we appreciate your coming and as we have to speak on behalf of Nigerians that what we discussed today is not what Nigerians are expecting from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. We want to hear from the ministry that the acting high commissioner has invited Nigerians to give them solace because tomorrow nobody knows what is going to happen again.
“We know the efforts of Nigerians in South Africa. We have been talking to you based on report of the Senate committee and foreign affairs ministry in April, 2015. Two years ago, we had this booklet and we have gone through all the findings and recommendations. Have you been able to invite Nigerians that lost their properties in 2015 to tell them that we are negotiating something for them? No, you haven’t.
"To the committee, we are not happy, we are highly disappointed and what we would expect is that in your delegation, we have the mandate of the two houses for us to go to South Africa. We will all go together, see them and look at the memoranda of understanding or bilateral agreements you are signing; it has to be give and take. If it is necessary, Nigeria will not hesitate to place sanctions against South Africa in this country.”
She said if the trend continued, South Africans and South African businesses should be prepared for reprisal attacks. She said their firms would also suffer similar attacks being meted to Nigerian businesses in South Africa.
She spoke on Tuesday when Minister of State, Foreign Affairs, Hajia Khadija Bukar Abba-Ibrahim, appeared before the committee.
“I will say that while we appreciate your coming and as we have to speak on behalf of Nigerians that what we discussed today is not what Nigerians are expecting from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. We want to hear from the ministry that the acting high commissioner has invited Nigerians to give them solace because tomorrow nobody knows what is going to happen again.
“We know the efforts of Nigerians in South Africa. We have been talking to you based on report of the Senate committee and foreign affairs ministry in April, 2015. Two years ago, we had this booklet and we have gone through all the findings and recommendations. Have you been able to invite Nigerians that lost their properties in 2015 to tell them that we are negotiating something for them? No, you haven’t.
"To the committee, we are not happy, we are highly disappointed and what we would expect is that in your delegation, we have the mandate of the two houses for us to go to South Africa. We will all go together, see them and look at the memoranda of understanding or bilateral agreements you are signing; it has to be give and take. If it is necessary, Nigeria will not hesitate to place sanctions against South Africa in this country.”
