Angered by the manner which recent xenophobic attacks was handled by the South Africa government, the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, has advised President Jacob Zuma of South Africa to stay away from the inauguration of the President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari.
This was as the students threatened to invade the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, should Zuma step into the country’s airport.
They held that Zuma should stay away as his visit will be an insult to the sensibility of Nigerians over his alleged poor handling of the xenophobic attacks on Nigerians and other migrant foreigners in his country.
Disclosing this in a statement issued by its President, Tijani Usman, NANS noted that Zuma’s inability to “apologise to Nigerians like he did to Mozambique”, despite the sacrifices the country made for South Africa, was unfortunate.
According to the statement, “We wish to advise the South African President (Jacob Zuma) to rather stay at home and address burning issues, rather than embarking on a visit that is the least desirable.
“The South African President’s failure to
apologise to Nigeria for the losses the country and our citizens incurred during the xenophobic attacks on foreigners leaves a bitter taste in the mouth. There is therefore, no point felicitating with a people who clearly do not matter much to you. President Zuma’s visit will only amount to pretence.”
Usman in the statement reiterated its earlier position that it will henceforth not hesitate to clamp down on South African investments in Nigeria should any incident of xenophobic attacks take place again in that country.