Xenophobia: Buhari meets South Africa's special envoy
- President Buhari on Monday, September 16, met special envoy of South African government, Jeff Radebe
- There have been attacks on properties of Nigerians living in South Africa in the last few months
- Buhari, however, reminded Radebe of Nigeria's effort to end apartheid segregationist policy
Following the xenophobic attacks on Nigerians living in South Africa, President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday, September 16, met the special envoy of President Cyril Ramaphosa at the State House, Abuja.
Legit.ng reports that the special adviser to the president on media and publicity, Femi Adesina, in a statement issued on the evening of Monday, September 16, said that Buhari reminded the envoy of the roles played by Nigerian government in engendering majority rule in South Africa, and ending the apartheid segregationist policy.
Buhari said while receiving the envoy, Jeff Radebe, that he was a junior military officer to Generals Murtala Mohammed and Olusegun Obasanjo, who were military heads of state at different times in the mid to late 1970s.
He said: “Going back to historical antecedents, we made great sacrifices for South Africa to become a free state. I was a junior officer to General Murtala Muhammad, and General Olusegun Obasanjo. They were not operating in a democracy, but they got Nigerians to support them in the bid to see a free South Africa.
“Our leadership was quite committed to the cause. We made sacrifices, which younger people of today may not know. During my last visit to South Africa with the late President Robert Mugabe, it was very emotional, as Mugabe spoke about Nigeria’s contribution to free South Africa."
The president extended appreciation to President Ramaphosa, through the special envoy, for coming to explain what happened in South Africa recently, which led to killing and displacement of foreigners.
He responded to profuse apologies from the South African president, pledging that relationship between the two countries would be solidified as he described the xenophobic attacks as “very unfortunate.”
In his remarks, Radebe apologised on behalf of his president for what he called “acts of criminality and violence” that recently occurred, adding that “such do not represent our value system, nor those of the larger number of South Africans.”
He said South Africa was an integral part of Africa and is fully committed to peace and integration of the continent.
The special envoy disclosed that 10 people died during the attacks – two Zimbabweans and eight South Africans, stressing that there was no Nigerian casualty.
He added that South Africa remains eternally grateful for the role Nigeria played in ending apartheid, and hoped that the coming visit of the Nigerian president would solidify relationship between the two countries once again.
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Meanwhile, Legit.ng had previously reported that the government of South Africa, through its special envoys, tendered an apology to Nigeria over xenophobic attacks against Nigerians.
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Xenophobia: South African High Commissioner speaks on recent attacks | - on Legit TV
Source: Legit.ng
