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IMN members hold processions despite police warning, claim five killed

Rebecca Akinremi
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IMN members hold processions despite police warning, claim five killed

Despite warning by the police against holding procession, members of the proscribed Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) on Tuesday held procession across some Northern states.

The police had warned on Monday that all procession and gathering by members of the detained Ibrahim El-Zakzaky Movement remain illegal noting that such gathering or procession would be viewed as “an act of advancement of terrorism”.

However, the procession held majorly in the northern part of Nigeria in cities such as Abuja, Kaduna, Gombe and Bauchi.

In Kaduna on Tuesday, the IMN members said that the police disrupted their procession as it was reported that police attacked them along the Western Bypass on the outskirt of Kaduna metropolis.

The President Media Forum of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, Ibrahim Musa, claimed that three of their members were killed in Kaduna. He did not give details of how the three IMN members died during the procession.

In Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, IMN members comprising men, women, and children did the weeping procession but for a short period. They had the event between Berger roundabout and Wuse, commercial areas in Abuja.

There was no report of any incident.

“In Abuja it (the procession) was peaceful because the police could not stop us,”said Yahaya Muhammed, media coordinator of the IMN.

The religious ritual in Bauchi and Gombe ended tragically as Mohammed said one person in each of the state was confirmed dead.

“In Gombe, there was shooting and one person was confirmed dead. In Azare local government (area) in Bauchi, one person was confirmed dead,” he said.

The police had denied all the claims.

Yakubu Sabo, Spokesman of Kaduna Police Command said the claim was “a blatant lie”.

“Its a blatant lie. The police didn’t kill anybody. Police only dispersed some hoodlums that were sighted along Bakin Ruwa staging a protest,” Sabo said.

“Based on the report we have, there was no casualty. We received a report that they were sighted around Biakin Ruwa bypass, and our men went there and dispersed them professionally.

”That has been their (IMN) approach to make frivolous claims. This is a group that has been proscribed by the state and federal government. The police will not fold its arms; we dispersed them professionally. There was no report of casualty. They are just making this claim to seek public sympathy,” he said.

The Shia group led by Ibraheem El-Zakzaky was proscribed and described as aterrorism group following several protests to demand the release of its leader. Many of the protests had resulted in loss of lives and properties in the country.

Minimum wage: Federal Government, labour to meet Sept.16

Nneoma BENSON
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Minimum wage: Federal Government, labour to meet Sept.16

THE negotiation between the Federal government and the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council (JNPSNC) on the new minimum wage has been rescheduled to hold on September 16.

The JNPSN Secretary-General,  Alade Lawal, asserted to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Lagos that the meeting was rescheduled at the instance of the officials.

The last negotiation between the government and the JNPSNC was to hold on September 4, but was suspended.

The organised labour and the Federal Government have been in conflict over the implementation of the new minimum wage which was signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari on April 18.

Negotiation between the government and the JNPSNC, representing labour in the technical committee set up to negotiate the consequential adjustment of workers’ salaries as a result of the new minimum wage, had broken down due to unresolved differences in their proposals.

While the Federal Government proposed 9.5 per cent salary increase for employees on grade levels 07 to 14 and five per cent for those on grade levels 15 to 17, labour is demanding 30 per cent increase for officers on grade levels 07 to 14 and 25 per cent increase for grade levels 15 to 17.

The government through the Chairman, National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission (NSIWC), Richard Egbule, approved the immediate implementation of the N30,000 new minimum wage, but the implementation is yet to commence.

While the Federal Government alleged that the Labour Union is to blame for the delay of the new minimum wage, the NLC insists government’s proposal is insignificant.

President of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Ayuba Wabba, had told journalists that the Congress would support any position taken by the JNPSN on the new national minimum wage.

Despite not implementing the new minimum wage, Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige says the welfare of the Nigerian workers is cardinal to president Buhari’s.

Ngige in a statement issued in Abuja on Tuesday by the Deputy Director/Head Press and Public Relations, Charles Akpane, said the Federal Government has continued demonstrate to the upliftment of the nation’s workforce.

“ The welfare of workers is a cardinal objective of the current administration because the President clearly understands the key role workers play in national development,” Ngige was quoted as said in an address at the Long Service/Merit Award Ceremony of the Nigerian Ports Authority held over the weekend in Lagos. .

“This is manifest in the various measures the Federal Government has taken since 2015 to reposition the workforce.

“ We can easily flashback to a number of bailout funds he gave to states to pay salaries of workers as well as the unprecedented payment of decades-long arrears of salaries and allowances to the workers in the federal civil service. Let’s not forget that the President also wasted no time in giving his assent to the new National Minimum Wage.”

 

Ban on procession only applicable to IMN members —IGP

YEKEEN Akinwale
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Ban on procession only applicable to IMN members —IGP

THE Inspector General of Police (IGP) Mohammed Adamu has clarified that the ban on procession placed by the Force is only binding on members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN).

“Following the deluge of enquiries concerning the ban on procession on the proscribed Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), it has become absolutely imperative to clarify that the ban on processions is applicable to members of the proscribed Islamic Movement in Nigeria only, ” the police chief said in a series of tweets  on Tuesday.

The police on Monday declared that all gathering and procession by members of the proscribed IMN were illegal following information that the movement was planning a procession to mark the annual Ashura, the 10th day of Muharam which is the first month of Islamic calendar.

The IGP said all other Muslims are free to carry out the annual “Ashura” procession in line with their faith, he however warned that they should do so within the confines of the law.

“Against this backdrop, Muslims marking the commemoration of “Ashura” throughout the country along with other Muslims across the world are free to carry out the annual “Ashura” procession,” he said.

He also urged them to guard against infiltration by “unscrupulous elements” who may want to take advantage of the event to cause disruption of public peace, order and security.

Adamu directed all Commissioners of Police and their respective supervisory Assistant Inspectors-General of Police in Commands and Zones to give full effect to the above clarifications and ensure that non-IMN Muslims are not in any way restricted from exercising their freedom of religion, worship and peaceful assembly.

This was as he enjoined members of the public to be calm and go about their lawful businesses, noting that the Force is doing all within its capacity to ensure there is no breach of the peace, law and order anywhere in the country.

FACT CHECK: Does solar tech contribute up to 20% of world’s power production?

'Kunle ADEBAJO
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FACT CHECK: Does solar tech contribute up to 20% of world’s power production?

IBRAHIM Ali, a one-time Nigerian minister of state for petroleum resources and former managing director of the Federal Housing Authority (FHA), said that “20 per cent of power generated globally is from solar”.

“Germany’s 20 per cent electricity is solar generated even when they are not as endowed as we are, sun wise. It is all about believing in yourself and your ability to identify your shortcomings and needs and which best is the way to go about solving them,” he added.

Ali, who was an honorary special adviser to former Borno State governor Kashim Shettima and in charge of executing his industrialisation policy, made the claim during an interview granted to Daily Trust in April.

Speaking primarily on the state’s recently unveiled solar panel manufacturing plant, he described the factory as “world-class”, “best and biggest in Africa”. But a fact-check by The ICIR established there are at least two others on the continent with larger production capacities.

Solar energy actual contribution is much lower

Checks revealed that the contribution of solar power to the global energy output is not up to 20 per cent. Indeed, it hovers a little above 2 per cent.

According to the International Energy Agency’s 2018 statistical overview on renewable energy, as of 2016, solar, wind, geothermal, and tide energy all constituted 1.6 per cent of the world’s total primary energy supply (This increases to 5.5 per cent if the data is restricted to electricity production). In fact, all renewable energy sources,  including hydro-power and bio-fuels, contributed only 13.7 per cent.

Solar photovoltaic (PV) energy has, however, grown annually since 1990 at an average rate of 37.3 per cent, and solar thermal at 11.5 per cent.

The same agency, in its report on Solar PV, last updated in May, says with its estimated growth in 2018 “the solar PV share in global electricity generation exceeded 2 per cent for the first time”.

The IEA’s figures are corroborated by the BP Statistical Review of World Energy, which states that the overall contribution of solar energy to global power generation remains low at 2.2 percent.

Also, according to the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems, Europe’s largest solar research institute, solar energy has contributed 10.7 per cent of Germany’s net electricity generation in 2019, growing from 7 per cent in 2017.

Court orders Dalori’s detention, Galaxy boss, for diverting N7.5 bn investors’ funds

Rebecca Akinremi
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Court orders Dalori’s detention, Galaxy boss, for diverting N7.5 bn investors’ funds

A FEDERAL Capital Territory High Court has ordered the detention of Babagana Abba Dalori, Managing Director of Galaxy Transportation and Construction Services Ltd, for diverting  N7.5 billion of investors’ funds.

Justice Muawiyah Idris while ruling on  Tuesday on a bail application brought before the court by Dalori’s counsel, Joe-Kyari Gadzama, SAN, following his arraignment by the Economic Financial and Crimes Commission (EFCC) for criminal charges, gave the detention order.

The  EFCC had on September 2 arraigned Dalori with his company on three separate charges – two counts bordering on a N95,530,000 fraud; two counts bordering on obtaining N4million by false pretence; and eight counts bordering N30,908,000 fraud.

Dalori is also being prosecuted by the Commission before Justice Venchak Gaba of the FCT High Court, Kwali, Abuja for an alleged N10million fraud.

The anti-graft agency alleged that he had been running a Ponzi scheme which was used to defraud unsuspecting investors to the of N6.5 billion.

The EFCC noted that it received a total of 146 petitions where 128 of them had already been established against him to involve in the N6.5 billion fraud.

The Commission said its investigations  into his “shady dealings” revealed that he traded with investors’ fund to the tune of $2.8million in Forex at a loss. And that Dalori also gave a N500million tip in order to secure a contract, which, however, flopped.

EFCC also exposed that the investors’ funds were diverted for personal use to acquire properties, including four filling stations, one hospital, supermarket, watermelon farm, fish and poultry farm hotel, a sachet water factory, houses and estates, and three quarries in Kano, Ogun and Abuja,” The commission listed some properties he diverted the funds to.

It further stated that its findings also showed that Dalori’s claim of investing funds in transportation through Galaxy Transportation was false as investigators could not trace any existing bus used for transport by his Transportation company.

“In 2016, Dalori veered into full transportation business as he registered Galaxy Transport and Construction Company with his mother as co-director.

“In 2017, he claimed that he invested about N400 million to acquire a quarry licence and started mining at Mpape, Abuja. He added that he had offices in 11 states and continued to lure his investors with mouthwatering returns.

“He continued collecting money from investors until his investors rose to 20, 700.

“But instead of concentrating on the line of business for which the investors had put their money, he further diversified as he registered and delved into Galaxy Global Energy Limited, Galaxy Miners Concepts Limited, Galaxy Global Farms, Galaxy Guest Palace Limited, Galaxy Hospital, Galaxy Computing, Galaxy Block making and Galaxy Car Wash,” part of the document on the investigation read.

Following his arraignment last Monday, Dalori’s counsel, Idris Gadazama had moved for the application for his bail arguing that the case against him was civil.

The bail application was, however, vehemently opposed by counsel for the EFCC, Maryam Ahmed, who urged the court to deny the application for bail in the interest of justice.

EFCC added that it needed more time to investigate the allegations.

After hearing both sides appeal, the judge dismissed the bail application and held that the charges against Dalori were” criminal in nature and which he must answer for”.

He supported his ruling with section 162 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015, claiming the charges bordered on criminal diversion. The judge said Dalori obtained money under false pretence and criminal breach of trust.

The trial court also noted that the EFCC was able to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Dalori used investors’ money to trade in Forex, as indicated in the confessional statement by a representative of Forextime Limited (the Forex company he used for the transaction), which was attached in the EFCC’s counter-affidavit.

Consequently, the court ordered that he should be detained in the custody of the EFCC for the next two months.

This, the judge said would allow the anti-graft agency to carry out “more investigations into shady dealings linked to him, even as more petitions against Dalori continue to pour in”.

All your gathering or procession remains ultimately illegal—police warn Shiites ahead of annual march

Amos ABBA
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All your gathering or procession remains ultimately illegal—police warn Shiites ahead of annual march

 The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu on Monday reiterated that members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), also known as Shiites are banned from embarking on any form of procession, insisting the group remains proscribed.

His current stance is coming on the heels of information in the public domain that members of the proscribed group were planning a nationwide procession on Tuesday to mark Ashura the 10th day of Muharam, the first month in the Islamic calendar.

Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Frank Mba, who disclosed this in a statement on behalf of the IGP urged the public to provide the police with useful information as regards the activities of the proscribed Islamic Movement in Nigeria.

“The Force notes that in line with the Terrorism (Prevention) Proscription Order Notice 2019 of 26th July 2019, the activities of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria has been proscribed.

“Consequently, all gathering or procession by the group remains ultimately illegal and will be treated as a gathering in the advancement of terrorism,” he stated.

In July, a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja ordered the proscription of the activities and existence of IMN following an ex-parte application filed by the Federal Government through the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation.

The court declared that the activities of the group in any part of the country “amount to acts of terrorism and illegality.”

“To this end, the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Mohammed Adamu has directed the Commissioners of Police in all the states of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja as well as their supervisory Assistant Inspectors-General of Police to put in place concrete measures to avert any planned procession or disruption of public peace by the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, anywhere in the country,” he said.

He enjoined parents to keep a close eye on their wards to prevent them from been lured to crises hot spots.

“In addition, the IGP has also advised parents and guardians to prevail on their children and wards not to be cajoled into embarking on illegal and ill-motivated activities by anyone or group of persons, under any guise whatsoever,” he concluded.

There are unconfirmed reports that the IMN members were gathering from all the 19 northern states to stage the annual Ashura procession in Abuja on Tuesday which is the 10th of Muharam, the first month of Islamic calendar.

The report say Shiite members would troop from all cities and villages in the 19 northern states to Abuja for the procession.

Busola Dakolo demands apology, N10m from COZA’s Fatoyinbo

Jennifer UGWA
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Busola Dakolo demands apology, N10m from COZA’s Fatoyinbo

BUSOLA Dakolo, wife of Nigerian popular musician Timi Dakolo has demanded that the  founder and Senior Pastor of Commonwealth of Zion Assembly (COZA), Biodun Fatoyinbo, apologise to her and pay N10 million for allegedly defiling her.

In June, Dakolo an acclaimed photographer revealed during an interview how the General Overseer of COZA raped her as a teenager.

In a court order filed on her behalf by her lawyer, Pelumi Olajengbesi and Co of Law Corridor, she is demanding that Fatoyinbo make “a clearly worded apology on the front page of at least two national newspapers and two national television stations for seven days running consecutively.”

In the report by CHANNELS, Busola, in addition to that, is also asking that a cost of action estimated at the sum of N10million be paid to her.

The embittered woman told a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Abuja that the defilement by by the popular clergy man, Fatoyinbo has adversely affected her marital sex life.

In the writ, she stated that the pastor had “forcefully pushed her unto a couch close to the front door of her house, pinned her to the couch, undressed her, caressed her body, fondled her breasts, exposed his genitals to her glare, forcing a bottle of soda (Krest) down her throat thereby making her breathing difficult.”

“All the while he was covering her mouth to muffle her screams and threatened her life on the 23rd of September, 2002,” she said.

According to her, these actions “both jointly and/or severally are outrageous and reckless and have caused her emotional distress,” which has subjected her to intentional infliction of emotional distress.

She also claimed that on another occasion on  September 26, 2002, Fatoyinbo drove her to a secluded area, forcefully pulled her out of the car, undressed her, spanked her buttocks, threatened her life, caressed her body, fondled her breasts and exposed his genitals to her glare.

Dakolo also asked the court to declare that Fatoyinbo’s denial of his alleged acts contained jointly and/or severally through a press statement he released on June 28, 2019, had caused her continuous emotional distress and amounted to intentional infliction of emotional distress on her.

Fatoyinbo is expected to appear before the court or cause an appearance to be entered for him in an action at the suit of Dakolo, within fourteen days of being served.

This new development comes on the heels of police invitation of the founder of COZA in Abuja.

However, although Fatoyinbo has the support of the Christain Association of Nigeria, he is not seen as a saint amongst other religious factions–Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN). The COZA pastor had earlier boycotted an invitation by the panel investigating the alleged rape accusation.

The pastor in a statement claimed that the members of the inquiry were already prejudiced and may not conduct an impartial session.

We must act responsibly and stop disseminating fake videos….— Ramaphosa warns countrymen

Olayinka SHEHU
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We must act responsibly and stop disseminating fake videos….— Ramaphosa warns countrymen

The South African government has issued a strict warning regarding the spreading of misleading information on social media about the recent xenophobic attacks

South Africa President, Cyril Ramaphosa in a tweet warned against spreading old and misleading videos on social media, stating that fake news about the protests could see social media users prosecuted.

Ramaphosa said the misinformation was sowing further conflict and called on people to stop fuelling a climate of fear and confusion.

“We must act responsibly and stop disseminating fake videos, photographs and messages, especially on social media, with an intention of negatively portraying our country and its people,” he said.

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The South Africa president further warned that creation or distribution of false videos, pictures or messages could open users up to prosecution.

“Government urges vigilance about social media messages that contain alleged warnings of planned violence against foreign nationals. Creation and distribution of such messages potentially open social media users to prosecution, as fake messaging intends to instill panic and cause disorder.”

“Recycling old video material on social media, as well as ‘war talk’ by certain individuals, only seeks to fuel tensions between South Africans and other Africans. The police will continue their work to restore order and government urges all law-abiding citizens to work alongside SAPS (South Africa Police Services) to isolate these criminals,” he added.

Meanwhile, the number of Nigerians willing to leave South Africa has risen to 640.

In a report by The PUNCH, the Chairman, Nigerians in the Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, who confirmed the number in Whatsapp chat said the intending returnees would be evacuated from South Africa by Air Peace in two flight operations.

“Six hundred and forty Nigerians have registered to come back home from South Africa and Air Peace will transport them home in two operations,” she stated.

South Africa in recent days has seen a spread of xenophobic attacks across the country, killing at least 10 and destroying the livelihoods of foreign nationals, especially Nigerians.

Attacks in South Africa against foreign nationals are not new.

Datas from Xenowatch, the website, which tracks such incidents, state that more than 500 attacks occurred between 1994 and 2018.

Nigeria has highest suicide rate in Africa, sixth globally

Rebecca Akinremi
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Nigeria has highest suicide rate in Africa, sixth globally

THE World Health Organisation (WHO) has revealed that Nigeria has the highest suicidal rate among African countries in 2016 with over 17,000 lives lost to suicide.

In a new  report that estimated the cases of suicide globally, WHO noted that, across the world one person takes their life every 40 seconds.

The report was titled, “Suicide in the World: Global Health Estimates.” It was released on Monday ahead of the World Suicide Prevention day coming up on Tuesday.

Hanging, pesticide self-poisoning and shooting were the three commonest methods by which people commit suicide, the report reveals.

Giving the global estimates, it noted that about 800,000 people die every year by the act. 

For Nigeria, WHO said 17,710 cases of suicide were recorded in 2016 at all ages. 

Of these number of cases, 8,410 were females while 9,300 were males.  The percentage ratio of men to women was 53:47.

The figure puts Nigeria as the leading country in the African region. It was followed by Ethiopia and South Africa with 7,323 and 6,476 cases respectively.

However, there are other countries that reported very high cases of suicide. 

In the world,  the top five countries were being led by India with more 2,15 000 cases in 2016, followed by China that had a total of 136,267 cases. 

The other three countries are America, the Russian Federation and Japan. Nigeria followed Japan being the sixth highest globally.

“Suicide is a serious global public health issue. All ages, sexes and regions of the world are affected (and) each loss is one too many,” the WHO’s report said.

Suicide rate highest in high-income countries was the second leading cause of death among young people aged between 15 and 29 years, after road injury. 

And among teenage girls aged 15 to 19, it was the second biggest killer after maternal conditions. In teenage boys, suicide ranked third behind road injury and interpersonal violence.

“Every death is a tragedy for family, friends and colleagues. Yet suicides are preventable. We call on all countries to incorporate proven suicide prevention strategies into national health and education programmes in a sustainable way,” said WHO Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

“Progress in suicide prevention activities in some countries, but much more is needed.”

Outlining some strategies to adopt, WHO cited pesticide regulation as a “highly effective strategy” to be used in curbing the rate. It added that such restricting access to pesticides that are used for self-poisoning would bring down the number of suicides.

“Key interventions that have shown success in reducing suicides are restricting access to means and educating the media on responsible reporting of suicide.

“There is now a growing body of international evidence indicating that regulations to prohibit the use of highly hazardous pesticides can lead to reductions in national suicide rates,” the report stated.

Other interventions the globally health body proposed were to implement programmes among young people to build life skills that enable them to cope with life stresses and to identify early, manage and follow-up people at risk of suicide.

The rate of suicide is by no means ceasing in Nigeria as the country has recorded not less than 42 cases as of June 2019, according to media reports.

The major method used in the self-killing was the intake of snipers, a local insecticide used to mortalise rodents such as rats and for agricultural purpose.

In reaction to the suicide spree among the youths in Nigeria early this year, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) banned the hawking of agro-chemical formulations which include sniper in open markets and supermarkets nationwide. It stated that their sales in those markets were prohibited from September 1.

But, it is yet to be proven if snipers and other pesticides are out of the Nigerian open markets and supermarkets.

Nigerians willing to return home from SA should be immediately evacuated—Buhari

'Kunle ADEBAJO
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Nigerians willing to return home from SA should be immediately evacuated—Buhari

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has directed that Nigerians who opt to return home from South Africa due to the prevalence of xenophobic attacks should be evacuated “immediately”.

According to the presidential Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, president Buhari gave this instruction on Monday after receiving a report from the special envoy sent to the Southern African country in the wake of xenophobic attacks.

The press release did not, however, mention how the evacuation is to be done or whether the federal government will bear the costs.

Buhari also instructed the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, to keep engaging with the right authorities “on the concrete measures the South African Government is expected to take”.

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Ahmed Rufai Abubakar, Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, was the president’s special envoy. He was in Pretoria between Thursday, September 5, and Saturday, September 7, to convey Buhari’s message to South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.

Abubakar stated in his report that he conveyed Buhari’s and Nigerians’ deep concern about endless violent attacks against Nigerians and their properties.

“President Buhari stressed the need for South African Government to take visible measures to stop violence against citizens of brotherly African nations,” the report also stated.

“President Buhari is worried that the recurring issue of xenophobia could negatively affect the image and standing of South Africa as one of the leading countries on the continent, if nothing is done to stop it.”

Abubakar said he delivered Buhari’s message assuring the South African government of Nigeria’s readiness to partner in finding a solution to “the involvement of few Nigerians in criminal activities, and to protect the lives and property of the larger groups of other law-abiding Nigerians … against all forms of attacks including xenophobia”.

“President Buhari further assured that the Nigerian Government will guarantee the safety of lives, property and business interests of South Africans in Nigeria,” the release said.

“On his part, President Ramaphosa agreed that the violence was most disconcerting and embarrassing, adding that his government completely rejects such acts, which undermine not only the country’s image but also its relations with brotherly African countries.

“President Ramaphosa reaffirmed his stand against criminality and committed to do everything possible to protect the rights of every Nigerian and other foreign nationals in the country.”

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