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Nigeria has boycotted the World Economic Forum(WEF) on Africa 2019 taking place Cape Town, South Africa in protest against the xenophobic attacks against its citizens in the last one week.
No Nigerian delegation was in attendance as the Forum kicked off on Wednesday. Other African countries that have pulled out of WEF are Rwanda, Malawi and DR Congo.
It is understood that as at the time of filing this report, President Muhammadu Buhari, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffery Onyeama, were in a meeting brainstorming on possible options, including sanctions against the South African government.
Several Nigerians have launched reprisal attacks on South African business interests like MTN and Shoprite in Lagos, Abuja and Ibadan. The companies and several others are already scaling their operations where they are not closing down some outlets.
In a related development, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued a travel advisory to Nigerians living in, or travelling to South Africa. A press release signed by Ferdinand Nwonye, the ministry’s spokesman advised Nigerians to “avoid travelling to high risk and volatile areas until the situation is brought under control”
The release said “the government of Nigeria is engaging the relevant South African authorities via the Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria, Consulate General in Johannesburg and Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Abuja to ensure that definite measures are put in place to curtail the unfortunate attacks”
See a copy of the letter below: