By BANNERNEWS Reporter, Zaria
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Southwest Zone D, has threatened to stage peaceful protests and picketing against South African business interests in Nigeria over renewed xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in South Africa.
The student body expressed outrage over the recent killing of two Nigerians, describing the incidents as part of a disturbing pattern of violence and hostility against foreign nationals, particularly Nigerians.
In a statement issued to journalists by the Southwest Zonal Coordinator of NANS, Comrade Adeyemo Josiah Kayode, popularly known as “BILLIONCODES,” the group condemned the attacks and demanded urgent action from South African authorities.
According to the statement, the continued targeting of Nigerians under any guise is unacceptable and must be brought to an immediate end.
NANS said it had begun mobilising students and stakeholders for peaceful demonstrations and advocacy campaigns against major South African companies operating in Nigeria, including MTN Group and MultiChoice Group.
The association argued that it was morally wrong for South African businesses to thrive in Nigeria while Nigerians living in South Africa continue to face violence, intimidation and insecurity.
“It is morally indefensible for businesses to prosper in an environment where Nigerians are safe, while Nigerians elsewhere are subjected to fear and violence. This contradiction will no longer be tolerated,” the statement said.
The student body called on the South African government and security agencies to demonstrate genuine commitment toward protecting Nigerians and other foreign nationals residing in the country.
It also demanded swift justice for victims of xenophobic attacks, warning that silence, delayed reactions or symbolic gestures would no longer be acceptable to Nigerian students.
While insisting that Nigerian students would not remain passive in the face of repeated attacks on their compatriots, NANS said it remained open to dialogue and constructive engagement with South African business representatives, diplomatic channels and other stakeholders to address the crisis.
