South Africa: FG rules out tit- for-tat deportation

The Federal Government may not take punitive measures against South Africa in retaliation for the xenophobic
attacks against Nigerians , it was learnt on Saturday.

Senior government officials said the President Muhammadu Buhari
administration would continue to pursue diplomatic avenues to address the issue.

Specifically, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs , Amb. Olusola Enikanolaiye, confirmed to our
correspondent that the Federal
Government would continue to pursue a diplomatic solution to the problem..
He said, “ There is no plan of carry out any punitive measures against South
Africa, we are pursuing diplomatic means to resolve the issue , we have held series of meetings with the South
African authorities and the High
Commissioner to Nigeria and we are confident that the problem would soon be resolved. ”

The Nigeria Immigration Service Public Relations Officer, James Sunday, also explained on Saturday that the agency
had not received any directive to target South African nationals for deportation.

He described as false speculation thatvthe NIS would clamp down on citizens of the former apartheid enclave in
Nigeria.

“ Though deportations of irregular immigrants is done from time to time, it is only those who flout visa
regulations that are deported; for now, there is no directive to the service to deport or target South Africans in Nigeria ,” Sunday said.

Meanwhile, the South Africa High Commission to Nigeria has said it was working to verify the alleged threats by
Niger Delta militants to attack MTN and other South African companies in the country.

The South African envoy, Amb . LuluvMnguni , explained that the mission had yet to ascertain the authenticity of the
threat.