Nigerians in South Africa Express Outrage over Invasion of Embassy

Agency Report/

Nigerians in South Africa have expressed outrage over the reported invasion of the Nigerian Consulate in Johannesburg and the disconnection of electricity supply to the premises.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Johannesburg City Power officials in company with personnel of the Metro Police Department had stormed the consulate to effect the disconnection of power supply over alleged unpaid bills.

But the Nigerian Citizen Association South Africa (NICASA) condemned the action of the South African officials, describing it as ” very retrogressive, xenophobic and avoidable. ”

The association said this in a statement signed by its Secretary General, Kazeem Tunde, and made available to NAN in Abuja today.

”We condemn the unwarranted action by City Power and their police cohort on the property of the consulate of Nigeria.

” It is clear that City Power was out to embarass and humiliate Nigeria and Nigerian citizens in the republic.

”There cannot be any plausible excuse to warrant the invasion of the Nigerian Consulate.

”The action is very retrogressive, xenophobic and avoidable.

”If City Power can invade the consulate of any country without consequence, then the police can as well go into any consulate to make an arrest without respecting the Vienna Convention on consular relations,” the statement says in part.

It expressed the hope that both countries will take a strong action against those responsible for the ”reprehensible action” to prevent recurrence.

The statement urged Nigerians in that country to remain calm, saying the matter was being handled by the Consul General through diplomatic channels and would be resolved satisfactorily.

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