'We Are Living In Fear' -Nigerians In South Africa

Some Nigerians in South Africa have cried out
against
the xenophobic attacks on Africans in parts of
the
country.
In separate telephone interviews with SUNDAY
PUNCH, the Nigerian migrants expressed their
fear
of attacks as death threats were being
circulated on
social media.
Itunu Bodunrin, who on Monday had attended
his
master’s degree graduation ceremony at the
University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, told our
correspondent that he was unable to leave the
school
campus afterwards due to the violence in the
town.
Bodunrin forwarded a text message to our
correspondent which, according to him, had
been
circulated among South African residents via
an
instant messaging mobile application,
WhatsApp.
In the message, signed by several groups,
including
the Patriotic Movement, Pan Local Forum,
Unemployed Workers Forum and Anti-Crime
Movement, Nigerians and other African
foreigners
were warned to leave the country.
It read in part, “Dear neighbour from Africa
and
other parts of the world, we have travelled the
world
and have not found one country that allows
the
floods of humans across its borders as South
Africa is
experiencing. Even in war-torn parts like Syria,
Ukraine, Yemen and Somali.
“We were seven million people in
Johannesburg city
in 2011. Today, we have an estimated 13
million. In
Johannesburg alone, you have taken over
entire
suburbs: Yeoville, Berea, Bez Valley,
Turfontein,
among many. You have even moved into rural
parts
of our country that have 80-per-cent
unemployment,
and there are no visible signs that you have
jobs
either.
“We want to be proudly part of the geographic
construct called Africa, but we are as different
from
one another as Kenyans are from Nigerians;
Ivorians
from Chadians, etc.
“We are pleading with you to return to your
home
countries. Go and build up those countries so
that we
can all live in economic, social and political
prosperity and peace as neighbours. The
genocide in
this corner of Africa will be far worse than
what
happened in Rwanda in 1994. Then the entire
continent will be condemned to ashes. Is that
what
you want?
“South Africans not fully employed or who
were
found guilty of crimes, were recently
repatriated
from Nigeria and rightly so.
“Our people are preparing for war against all
foreigners (from Bulgaria, Pakistan and
Bangladesh
to Africa, north of the Limpopo) and we are all
very
scared. Please go home and build Africa.
Millions will
die if you don’t. This we can guarantee.”
Similarly, Samson Ojako, a master’s degree
student
studying Mathematics also at the University of
KwaZulu-Natal noted that looting had been
rampant
for over a week.
“Those that opened their shops were attacked
by the
Zulu. During all of this, those of us on campus
were
warned by the school management to stay
indoors.
They said no one should leave the school
premises,
especially during the weekend.”
Ojako noted that a large number of Zulus
often
migrated from their villages into town on
weekends
in order to launch attacks on non-nationals.
He likened the last one week to life in a
refugee
camp, saying that those living on campus
could not
go out to shop for food.
“A lot of people are living in fear, especially
the
ladies. Even for us who are guys, last week,
we had to
move in groups,” he said.
Olawale Olawepo, another Nigerian studying
for a
doctorate degree in Industrial Organisation
and
Labour Studies said the school authorities
also
warned students against taking public
transportation.