Xenophobia: Nigeria Won’t Break Diplomatic Ties With South Africa – FG

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, has said that the country would not severe diplomatic ties with South Africa following the current xenophobic attacks on Nigerians.

Onyeama,  who stated this on Friday when he appeared before the Senate Committee on Diaspora, said taking such action would not be in the interest of Nigerians in South Africa.

He said available statistics from the Nigeria High Commission in Pretoria indicated that over 800, 000 Nigerians are legally living in the South African country.

He noted that any attempt by the country to cut diplomatic relationship with the former apartheid nation, would greatly affect Nigerians and their huge investment there.

He said the special envoys dispatched to Johannesburg by President Muhammadu Buhari would return to Nigeria on Saturday (tomorrow ).

He explained that their report would guide the Nigerian leader to take a decisive action in the overall interest of the country.

Onyeama, who briefed journalists after a meeting with the Senate panel led by Senator Bashir Ajibola, said Nigeria would consider other options apart from diplomatic ties severance,  to resolve the unfortunate development.

He said, “We are not thinking to the stage of diplomatic ties called off. There are various options. We are not by any means at a stage where we are breaking diplomatic relations with South Africa.

“We just met with the senate committee to review the situation with regards to South Africa and we looked at all the possible options we analysed the possible causes and agreed on a road map going forward.