Xenophobia: Anambra police advises against reprisal attacks

The police command in Anambra has warned residents not to take the law into their own hands in the wake of the rising xenophobic attacks against Nigerians in South Africa.
The command’s spokesman, Haruna Mohammed, issued the warning in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Onitsha on Wednesday.
Mohammed specifically advised residents of Onitsha, who might be contemplating a reprisal attack on the Shoprite and other South African-owned businesses in the city, to have a rethink or be prepared to face the full wrath of the law.
A NAN correspondent, who visited the Shoprite in Onitsha on Wednesday, reports that there was heavy presence of police operatives, who barricaded the ABS Road leading to the shopping mall.
It was further learnt that the Onitsha mall closed earlier than usual on Tuesday, following reports of reprisal attacks on some of the malls in Lagos.
Mohammed said that the command had deployed adequate security personnel in the area to ensure security of lives and property.
He said: “There is no cause for alarm. We have made adequate deployment of security personnel to man the area.
“Anambra people are law-abiding, but the command is calling on people not to take the law into their hands.
“Hoodlums who may want to take advantage of xenophobic reprisal attack should desist from any act that will warrant their arrest.”
A cross-section of the residents, who spoke on the development in an interview with NAN, condemned the reprisal attack.
They urged the Federal Government to take decisive measures to urgently end the wanton killing of innocent Nigerians in South Africa.
A rights activist, Dede Uzor, took a swipe at the police operatives that shot at those, who attempted to attack South African businesses in Lagos.
He said: “The Nigeria police should have been diplomatic and civil in handling such issues.”
Uzor, who is the National Publicity Secretary for Campaign for Democracy, urged the federal government to take decisive action against the South African Government over the incessant xenophobic attacks against Nigerians.
Also, Emmanuel Akpaka, the President, Anambra Shippers Association, decried the reprisal attack and alleged looting of South African businesses in Lagos.
Akpaka said: “The reprisal attack was a way Nigerians showed their grievances but it is not the best because we have the Federal Government to protect our lives and an embassy in South Africa.”
He urged government to fast-track its diplomatic talks with the South African government in order to urgently find a lasting solution to the perenial attacks.
He added: “We have South Africans in Nigeria, who are doing businesses without being molested, so South Africans should stop molesting and killing Nigerians in their country.”