Boko Haram has released a tape stating that they are giving South
African government 24 hours within which to make the Xenophobic attacks
come to an end, Face of Malawi reported.
If South African government does not contain the situation they will
execute all South Africans living in Nigeria, Chad, Niger and other
surrounding countries, even the South African Embassies in the African
countries.
Boko Haram is a militant group in northeastern Nigeria whose real name
is 'Jama'at Ahl al-Sunna li al-Da'awat wa al-Jihad' which means Sunni
Group for Preaching and Jihad. The group was founded around 2002,
largely to preach an Islamist ideology based on the doctrines of the
Taliban as well as groups such as al-Qaeda.
It sought to disassociate itself from the Nigerian state and form a
community only of its followers. Boko Haram has abducted over 2,000
young girls and very few have escaped. So dangerous and heartless is the
group that tens of thousands of people have been killed in Nigeria by
Boko Haram.
Amnesty has documented several of these attacks, including the raid of
Baga town on January 3rd, 2015 when 2,000 people were killed and the
attack on Bama in March where an estimated 5900 people were killed.
While Boko Haram has no mercy on fellow Nigerians, the group however
will not permit other nationals to mess up with their brothers and
sisters in xenophobic attacks.
The Zulu king has been accused of fuelling the violence. He denies
this. Many jobless South Africans accuse foreigners of taking jobs in a
country where the unemployment rate is 24%.
Following recent reports of attacks on non-indigenes residing in South
Africa, especially Nigerians, the Nigerian Youths Congress (NYC) has
called on the South African authorities to immediately halt the ongoing
xenophobic attacks in their territories or have their nationals in
Nigeria subjected to similar treatment.
The warning by NYC is in response to disheartening videos making the
rounds which showed South African locals attacking and burning
foreigners (Nigerians inclusive) alive, and in some instances, looting
their shops.
Reacting to the incident, the president, NYC, Comrade Yakubu Shendam,
who expressed dismay at the heinous act, regretted that South African
authorities are silent on such callous acts perpetrated against a people
who have contributed largely to their economic growth.
He said it was ingratitude and sheer act of wickedness for any South
African national to contemplate harming foreigners, particularly
Nigerians who stood behind them during their trying moments.
He said, "South African citizens are scattered around Nigeria excelling
in various businesses and are being protected by the government. In
telecommunications alone, what South Africans make from Nigeria is
unimaginable.
"If the Nigerian government and people can provide the enabling
environment for South Africans to thrive and in turn, her citizens are
being maimed and killed for being foreigners, Nigerian youths may be
compelled to mete out similar treatment to South Africans operating in
the country".
To prove that there are thousands of South Africans in Nigeria, last
year 94 South Africans died when Prophet TB Joshua's church collapsed.
Every week hundreds of South Africans visit Prophet TB Joshua's church
and Pastor Chris' church in a bid to seek divine intervention.
