The meeting was organised by the high commission in collaboration with the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Global Peace Initiative (GPI) and Committee of Youth on Mobilisation and Sensitisation (CYMS) and National Association of Nigeria Students (NANS).

While briefing the media on outcome of closed door meeting with NANS, NYCN and CYMS, Moroe said that South African government would partner Nigeria to implement an exchange programme with the youths.

The high commissioner said that the initiative provides that Nigerian youths and students leaders travel to South Africa on cultural exchange and dialogue with their counterparts, as a way forward to the present situation.

According to him, this is to encourage exchange of ideas and views to promote relations between the two countries from the prism of youth leaders and come up with progressive recommendations.

Moroe said: “The NYCN, GPI and CYMS have declared their readiness to do this and we are making arrangement to achieve the desired goals.

“Based on the discussion that we had, it is important for us to chat the cause for unity between Nigerians and South Africans at this period, because we share historical values.

“There is a need for us to cultivate the culture of tolerance and co-existence between the people of South Africa and people of Nigeria.

“It is important that we take advantage of the dialogue that we have had today to rebuild the much needed social engagement.

“It is important to educate the youth of South Africa and Nigeria to understand the history of cordiality shared between both countries and by such means there can be appreciation”.

Also speaking, Bala Shagari, President of NYCN, said the meeting was important for both countries to tow that path of peace, rather than looting of shops and business properties.

“We believe that it is important that we engage in discussion with the South African people to proffer solutions to xenophobic attacks, rather than escalating the problem which can bring shame to the continent.

“As a result of our discussion we have agreed that we are going to South Africa to hear from them directly and to also get to the root cause of the problem and bring an end to it,” Shagari said.

He said that solution to the crisis should not just be left for governments of both countries alone, but urged youths to key into platforms for engagement in discussions to chat way forward.

Also, the Director General of CYMS, Obinna Nwaka, promised to produce comprehensive reports from the programme and submitted to governments of both countries.

“This issue about xenophobic attack is not just for governments alone, it is the youth, who can really proffer solution to it and they should not be left behind.

He, however, appealed to Nigerians to be patient, calm and remain peaceful in their dealings, to promote amicable resolution of the dispute.

NAN reports that the date and duration of the proposed programme is yet to be decided by the high commission and the youth based organisations.

Meanwhile, the National Association of Nigeria Students (NANS), has opposed the proposed cultural exchange programme between Nigeria and South African youths to address xenophobic attacks on Nigeria and promote unity between the two countries.

The President of NANS, Danielson Akpan, said this shortly after a news briefing by the Acting High Commissioner of South Africa to Nigeria.

Akpan said the proposed exchange programme by the South African High Commission and the Federal Government for youths and students’ body would not work in view of the prevailing situation in South Africa.

”We do not need the proposed exchange programme; how do you carry out exchange programme in a place where you are not safe? Our members who are schooling in South Africa have been calling us that they want to come back home.”

He said attacks by South Africans on Nigerians and other nationals were unjustifiable and condemnable.

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In a statement he issued on Tuesday in Abuja, Lawan said that Nigeria has had enough of its citizens being targets of the attacks in the Southern African nation.

He said that Nigeria would no longer tolerate hate crimes in any form against its citizens, where doing legitimate businesses in that country.

“Xenophobic violence is most condemnable anywhere; more so in South Africa, a country which citizens benefitted from the unwavered support and solidarity of Africans and freedom lovers across the world in its historic struggle against apartheid.

“More disturbing, however, is that these attacks indicate the neglect of educating the younger generations on the sacrifices that Africans proudly made towards expunging the scourges of colonialism and apartheid from their continent.

“The enormous contributions of Nigeria to this historic struggle is underscored by its recognition as a frontline state in prolonged confrontation against powerful racist regime that held generations of Southern Africans in bondage and subhuman conditions.

“This recognition is in spite of the fact that Nigeria does not share geographical borders with the subregion and was far removed from the direct consequences of apartheid,” he said.

Lawan said that the liberation of South Africa was rightly celebrated across the continent and the black world as the final emancipation of Africans from colonialism and apartheid.

He said that it was an unacceptable irony that some South Africans would after now, choose other Africans in their country as the targets of mindless violent attacks over frustrations for which the innocent victims had no control.

The Senate President said that he had on July 15, met with the South African High Commissioner, Bobby Moroe, in Abuja over the same issue.

”At the meeting, I had said that the South African government must as a matter of urgency do whatever it takes to protect the lives and property of Nigerians living there”.

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Ndubuisi-Chukwu had been scheduled to return to Nigeria on June 12 after attending the African Insurance Organisation (AIO) conference in Johannesburg.

However, her corpse was found in a room in Emperor Palace Hotel where she had lodged for the conference.

While Ndubuisi-Chukwu was initially believed to have died in her sleep, an autopsy report from South Africa’s department of home affairs showed that she died of “unnatural causes consistent with strangulation”.

Speaking on Tuesday during a meeting with Abike Dabiri-Erewa, chairman of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), and Chiedu Ndubisi, sibling of the late insurance director, at the South African High Commission in Abuja, Moroe said video footage has been obtained from the hotel to help the investigation.

“The reports we received on Sunday, in the evening, is that investigation has been opened in Johannesburg and the matter is under investigation and it has been prioritised,” he said.

“The South African police services are working very closely with the workers and management of Emperor Palace, the hotel that Mrs. Chukwu untimely lost her life. Video footage has been obtained and it is being studied. We are waiting for the authorities to give us an update.

“You will also appreciate that we are constrained at this point to speculate or to provide as much information as possible because the matter is still under investigation.

“We wouldn’t want to put the horse before the cart because we think this is a very sensitive case. We need to treat with the greatest of respect. We are talking about the loss of human life.”

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Lawan expressed concern that no fewer than 118 Nigerians have been killed in different attacks over the years, out of which 13 were by South African police.

According to a statement by his Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mohammed Isa, the Senate president said this when he hosted the South African High Commissioner to Nigeria, Bobby Moroe.

Moroe and his delegation visited to brief the Senate leadership on his government’s investigations to unravel the causes of the xenophobic attacks on Nigerians and steps being taken to stop such attacks.

The meeting, according to Lawan became necessary considering the incessant attacks on Nigerians residing in South Africa.

Then statement quoted Lawan as saying: “We in the parliament must speak and prevent any further killings. These killings must stop. This is the era of social media where corpse of a victim may spark violence that may go beyond the control of government.

“The South African government must as a matter of urgency, do whatever it takes to protect the lives and property of Nigerians living there, just as Nigerian government remained committed to the safety of South Africans residing here and their investments.

“I believe we have faced enough, we will no longer take it anymore. We want to write the names of Nigerians killed, and the South African parliament must act fast to put a stop to this menace.

“Over the years, 118 Nigerians have been killed, while 13 out of these were killed by South African police.”

He recalled the enormous contributions of Nigeria to South Africa during the apartheid rule, adding, “we must establish events leading into these killings, including the recent one of Mrs. Elizabeth Chukwu, who was killed in her hotel room.”

Nigeria, he said, would no longer condone such killings and urged the South African government to as a matter of responsibility, protect Nigerians residing there.

Commending the High Commissioner for the updates, Lawan said: “The update on the cause of late Mrs. Chukwu’s death is heartwarming. It is a sign that something has been done in this regards.”

The envoy was said to have expressed regret over the killings of Nigerians and extended his country’s condolences to the families of the victims.

Monroe was quoted to have said that an inquest had been instituted to investigate all cases of xenophobic attacks in the country.

The inquest, he said, would reveal the cause of the menace and find solutions across board.

He reiterated the commitment of his home government and its law enforcement agencies to get to the root of the matter while bringing to book perpetrators of the attacks.

Moroe said: “Our government will continue to be committed to good relationship with Nigeria. Your sentiment has gone deep into our heart, and you will be happy that the same sentiment has been our concern in South Africa.

“On behalf of the government of South Africa, we express our sincere condolences to Nigerian government for this unfortunate incident.”

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