Sanwo-olu has taken to his twitter page (@jidesanwoolu) to condemn the unacceptable attacks.

"While the Federal Government takes diplomatic and proactive actions to protect our brothers and sisters, as the Chief Security Officer of Lagos, I will protect the residents of Lagos against any criminal elements flying pretentious nationalist flags.

I am saddened by reports of violent and criminal activities against legitimate businesses across Lagos over #Xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in South Africa.

Do not allow yourself be used as a tool by criminal elements." The Lagos state governor tweeted.

He also urged lagosians to avoid violence and criminal activities as retaliatory attacks on businesses owned by South Africans.

However, the South African Police Service (SAPS) has disclosed that five people were killed in the recent spate of violence that erupted in the country over the past two days, adding that 189 suspects have so far been arrested for criminal acts including public violence, malicious damage to property, and theft.

ALSO READ: This is the full story of how the latest xenophobic attacks in South Africa started

While holding a bilateral meeting with Nigerian president, Muhammadu Buhari, on the sidelines of the 7th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) last week, South African president, Cyril Ramaphosa, said his government is working to end the attacks.

"We feel very upset about that. Obviously, our criminal justice system is working on it. We don't support killings," Ramaphosa said.

The two leaders are expected to discuss the issue at more length during Buhari's official visit to South Africa in October.