The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), has given all South Africans and their companies operating in Nigeria to shut down within seven days and move out of the country, following the overwhelming number of Xenophobic attacks against Nigerians in South Africa.
The umbrella body of students in Nigeria specifically mentioned telecommunications giant, MTN, Multichoice and Shoprite.
The ultimatum, which was issued at a joint press conference addressed by the leadership of NANS and the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), came on the heels of incessant attacks and murder of Nigerians in South Africa.
President of NANS, Comrade Danielson Akpan, who handed down the ultimatum, said these companies linked to South Africa must leave Nigeria “in their own interest” as the students can no longer tolerate the incessant harassment, brutalization and killing of Nigerians in South Africa.
In an address titled: “South Africans Must Go; Nigerians Return Home From South Africa,” Akpan recalled that members of NANS have been on the streets in major cities of Nigeria in the last two weeks picketing South African businesses to draw global attention to the mindless killings of Nigerians and looting of their properties in South Africa.
“Behold, the killings have continued and has even assumed a more dangerous dimension. This worsening development calls for a swift reaction. Importantly, we want to call on Nigerians in South Africa to reconsider their stay in South Africa and return home.
“Having gone through the first phase without any remorse or practical action to end xenophobic attacks in South Africa, we wish to announce that Nigerian students have decided to take on South Africans same way they are doing to our people. We have seen the helplessness of the South African government in reining in their citizens and wish to condemn in unambiguous terms the continued pampering of those involved. Every nation has own internal crisis hence no citizen of other nation should be sacrificed for criminal activities of South Africans or any other.
“Since the economic prosperity of Nigerians can no longer be tolerated and their lives secured in South Africa, there’s no need also to condone the continued flourishing of South African businesses and her citizens in Nigeria.
“We therefore wish to officially ask all South African-owned businesses in Nigeria to relocate in the next seven days. We specifically want Multichoice, MTN, Stanbic IBTC Bank, Shoprite and others to close their businesses in their own interest within seven days.
“In the same vein, we request that South African nationals in Nigeria should return to their home country as we can no longer watch them enjoy peaceful living in Nigeria while our citizens in their country continue to pay with dear lives for no reason other than being resourceful and flourishing in their businesses and career.
South Africans should henceforth leave Nigeria with all their businesses. Nigerians are not joking about it and we are giving seven days ultimatum for this action to be carried out. Diplomacy has failed”.
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