Nigerians attack South African business in retaliation to xenophobic attacks

Nigerians have taken to the streets of Lagos, Nigeria to protest the attacks on their brothers and sisters in South Africa.

the angry protesters attacked South African business Shoprite with stones and destruction of property around the retailer since they were unable to access its building.

“Some of the angry Nigerian youths hurriedly went into the Shoprite because of what has been happening and the large number of Nigerian youths have been killed in South Africa.

“Even as of today we got news from South Africa that over 500 Nigerians have been killed as we speak and this report are not false and people’s buildings and properties are being burned down as we speak. So we had come here when the whole incident started happening and we’ve been here.

“Police have been trying to take control of the place and tried to also protect the property that belongs to the same people who have been killing us.

“The Nigerian government, they are trying to support what is happening to protect the life and property of those people while our Nigerian people are dying on a daily basis,” said Terence Chukwu, witness.

Xenophobic attacks in South Africa have left five dead in riots in Johannesburg, where foreign-owned shops were targeted on Monday. A recurrence of the 2015 attacks that left at least seven people killed.

South African companies in Nigeria including MTN and Multichoice have expressed their concern over the situation.

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari said on Tuesday he was urgently sending a special envoy to meet South African President Cyril Ramaphosa to secure the Nigerian citizens there.