Xenophobia: Why Nigeria didn’t declare war on South Africa - FG

- Foreign Affairs Minister, Geoffrey Onyeama, has revealed the reason Nigeria didn't declare war on South Africa over the xenophobic attacks targeted at Nigerians and other nationals

- He said the government opted for dialogue because the crisis was not sponsored by the South African government

Foreign Affairs Minister, Geoffrey Onyeama, has said that Nigeria could have declared war against South Africa over the xenophobic attacks targeted at Nigerians and other nationals.

Onyeama noted that the government opted for dialogue because the crisis was not sponsored by the South African government.

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The minister was speaking when he met with the Nigerians resident in South Africa at the Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria on Tuesday March 14.

He said: “When this issue came up, we look at the options before us; we could have declared war with South Africa.

“We could have recalled our ambassador; we could have nationalized South African companies in Nigeria.

“We could have even asked Nigerians in South Africa to come back home and we also have the option of dialogue.

“But we opted for the last, which is to engage them in discussion to find a lasting solution to the problem.

“It may not be the right decision but I believe it could be a win-win situation.

“I do not believe the South African Government is xenophobic or even the large number of South Africans.”

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Onyeama, however, assured that the government had put machinery in place within the Early Warning Unit mechanism that would guarantee payment of compensation by the South African Government.

Source: Legit.ng