Sen. ID Gyang: SA must compensate for xenophobic attacks

Nigeria’s Deputy Senate Committee Chairman on Defense, Istifanus Gyang says recent xenophobic attacks in South Africa were driven by “envy and jealousy”.

Black South Africans attribute their ‘backward’ economic status to the ‘resourcefulness’ of foreigners, especially Nigerians, Gyang said, Monday.

“These attacks are misplaced, unacceptable and condemnable,” said the Senator in a press statement on Monday.

The press statement issued through his media aide, Musa Ashoms, the Senator regretted that South Africans see Nigerians doing business in their country as a threat, hence the xenophobic attacks.

This according to him is against the relationship between the two countries especially as Nigeria played a leading role in liberating South Africa from colonial rule.

“Nigeria played a key role in the liberation of South Africa from the Apartheid regime. Today, South Africans have suddenly forgotten all the sacrifices that Nigeria and Nigerians made, and like the Egyptians, see Nigerians doing business in their country as a threat, hence the Xenophobic attacks,” he said.

Gyang expressed support for the calls for the South African government to pay “full compensation” to Nigerians whose businesses were destroyed and to take steps to stop further attacks.