Nigeria: Militants give SA companies 31-day ultimatum to close shop
Niger Delta militants have given a month deadline to the Federal Government to shut down all South African-owned companies in the country or there would be unprecedented attacks on the firms and their nationals.
Advertisement
The threat was made by members of Niger Delta Watchdogs (NDW), Niger Delta Volunteers (NDV) and Niger Delta Strike Force (NDSF), yesterday.
The militants’ threat came after Nigerians were subjected to xenophobic attacks in South Africa, which have led to destruction of property owned by Nigerians.
In a letter addressed to the South African Embassy, in Abuja, signed by leaders of the three militant groups, General John Dike (NDW), General Ekpo Ekpo (NDV) and General Hart Bradford (NDSF), after an emergency meeting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, the groups said they would not fold their arms and watch innocent Nigerians maimed in another country.
They said there are about 18 South African companies, including MTN, Multi-choice, Shoprite, Eskom Nigeria, South African Breweries (SAB Miller), Umgeni Water and Refresh Product.
Others, they said, are LTA Construction, Protea Hotels, Critical Rescue International, Global Outdoor Semces, PEP Retail Stores, Woolworths Holdings Limited, Truworths International Limited, Clover Industries, Oracle, Power Giant and AirTime.
The militants, in the letter entitled ‘Attack and killings of Nigerians living in South Africa’, also condemned South African government for being insensitive to the xenophobic attacks by its citizens, noting that the country has enjoyed peaceful business environment in Nigeria.
“Our attention has been drawn to the series of unprovoked attacks, looting, shutting down of business premises/offices owned by Nigerians, killings and maiming of Nigerian nationals living in South Africa. It is now clear that the attack, which the South African police are shielding the criminals and even joining them in looting and killing Nigerians, shows that South African government wants to eliminate Nigerians in her territory by all means.
“How can you explain a situation where the police clobbered defenceless Nigerian citizens to death without any provocation?
“It is on record that the South African government and her citizens has the highest number of businesses in Nigeria.
“However, they have been going about their normal businesses, peacefully, making huge profits and living in a very friendly environment with us and enjoying the highest patronage without any form of attacks while our people in South Africa has been unjustly subjected to torture, killings, looting of their belongings as well as burning down of their business premises/apartments.
“We want to state that the recent attack will mark the end of this nonsense because we would not fold our arms and allow this to continue.
“Therefore, we call on the Nigerian government to immediately close down all the business premises owned by South Africans.
“Failure to close down these companies within one month, we shall mobilise in full force and commence massive attack on above-mentioned South African-owned investments in Nigeria.
“We shall also make sure that all MTN masts and offices are brought down.
“We shall strike any property and persons from South Africa within our reach; we will bring down Multi-choice (DStv), Shoprite and others. We will not fold our arms and watch you (South Africans) slaughter our people like chickens for no just cause. We are fully prepared, our professional fighters are already strategizing. South Africans must be crushed in Nigeria; our people must be free from these wicked agents.
“One month ultimatum is enough for South Africans to relocate and leave Nigeria; we also warn all Nigerians patronising South Africans to desist on the expiration of the one month notice to avoid unavoidable casualties. To be fore-warned is to be fore-armed. Enough is enough,” They declared.