Abike Dabiri-Erewa, the chairperson, House of Representatives Committee on the Diaspora, is blaming Nigeria for being indecisive on the xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in South Africa.    

According to PUNCH, Abike said that the xenophobic situation in South Africa has been a long-standing problem.

“Xenophobic matters in South Africa have always been there. It didn’t just start overnight. Once you get to the airport as a black foreigner, for instance, and they notice that you don’t speak their language, they start name-calling: kwere kwere, which is a very derogatory term—worse than being called a nigger. Xenophobic matters have always been there. And there have always been cases of attacks and discrimination against Blacks in South Africa.

The (House of Representatives) Committee on Diaspora has visited South Africa a few times and intervened in matters relating to discrimination. For example, we were in some South African prisons to meet Nigerians there. Some, who had finished serving their sentences, were still kept in prison, after serving their sentences, etc. Therefore, it has always been an issue in South Africa.

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