Pilot Law

CURRENT ISSUES: Xenophobic Attack: S/African must compensate affected Nigerians

 

An Ilorin-based veteran legal practitioner, Folorunsho Mustapha Saad, speaks with our JUDICIARY CORRESPONDENT, KAYODE ADEOTI, on the need for the South African government to compensate families of Nigerians who were affected in the xenophobic attacks among other issues. Excerpts:

How do you see the approach of the Federal Government towards addressing the issue of xenophobic attack on Nigerians in South Africa?
Federal Government has taken the right step and lots of diplomatic approaches have been displayed to tackle the issue. With this step, I believe the interest of Nigerians and other Africans will be protected. South Africa has realised its blunders and subsequently tendered apologies, though, that cannot bring back those who were killed but the only thing we should be talking  about now is, compensation for families of the deceased. The loss of lives and properties, I’m sure government will look into it, it’s part of what has been agreed upon. The compensation will be taken care of by the South African government because it’s due to their negligence and not responding promptly to the issue that led to the attack on our people. If South African government played its role, acted like real government, lots of lives would have been saved.
Some Nigerians believe on the attack on Nigerians-based in South Africa should be retaliated…?
(Cuts in:) Two wrongs don’t make a right. The South African companies that are here, it is Nigerians that are working there and they’re contributing to economy of the country. If we retaliate, then, we’ll be destroying the economy of Nigeria. What has been done in South Africa to our people, they’re now regretting, the exodus of people, investors who moved out of that country is enormous and foreign investors don’t dare come in, they realised it’s a big loss for them. It will be foolish on our part to behave like animals the way South Africans did. The Genesis of the attack is that, South Africans are not as skilled and learned like Nigerians. It’s our people who are making things work there, so, the attack on our people was borne out of envy…
For quite a while, the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has been battling to defend himself over the corruption allegation leveled against him, looking at this issue from legal perspective, what is your view?
It’s 2023 that is already playing out, for him to have said he’s ready to drop his immunity, it shows his genuineness and innocence. I don’t support the argument that he should resign. It’s good that VP has taken step, he has asked his lawyer to write those who defamed him. He has also given them some weeks to retract or face legal action. And, indirectly, the VP is taking them to court so that they can justify what they’ve said as regards the allegation. We cannot also jump into conclusion that VP is going to be found guilty, we should leave that to court to decide.
In recent time, the operations of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have come under serious attack, what is your take?
I cannot condemn the anti-graft agency. There are lots of corruption cases they’ve exposed, we cannot  condemn them because of the few ones who took the advantage of the commission to act contrarily; EFCC is doing a lot.

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