Xenophobia: AGF cautions Nigerians against retaliatory attacks

Alhaji Abubakar Malami, the Attorney-General of the Federation, has cautioned Nigerians against hitting the businesses of South Africans in response to alleged xenophobic attacks against their compatriots in the former apartheid nation.

Malami spoke on Friday in Abuja when the Coalition of Integrity Political Parties (CIPP), paid him a congratulatory visit following his reappointment as minister.

The minister particularly decried attacks on Shoprite companies by some Nigerians in reaction to the xenophobic attacks, and warned people against taking laws into their hands.

“The attack was carried out by people who thought that Shoprite belonged to South Africans, not knowing that it belongs to Nigerians.

“If you go to Shoprite, you will see that the entire building is run and managed by Nigerians. Most of the MTN tower masts have been given out to Nigerian contractors.

“So, we will be ruining our own economy if we shut down these companies because millions of families will go out of jobs and then it will bounce back on us.

“We must always look at this situation very critically; it is important that people should not take laws into their hands.

“The South African government must also look at the situation properly and see if hoodlums have hijacked it, because hoodlums look for any opportunity to commit crime.

“I believe that no responsible government will allow its citizens or foreign nationals living there, to be slaughtered in the streets of the country.”

Earlier, Dr Yakubu Shendam, National Spokesperson of CIIP and Chairman, New Generation Party, had commended Malami’s capacity to sustain the fight against corruption in the country.

“We believe that the reappointment of Malami as Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federal will fast track the criminal justice delivery system in the country,” Shendam said.