A senior lecturer in the Department of History, Lagos State University, Dr Dapo Thomas, has accused the South African government of complicity in the recent attacks on foreigners in the country.
Thomas, who was a guest on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Wednesday, blamed the government for the xenophobic attack that left some dead, stressing that the country will not prosecute their citizens involved in the dastardly act.
When asked if the South African government was complicit in the Xenophobic attack, Thomas replied in the affirmative saying: “Obviously.”
“The South African government is actively involved but diplomatically, they wouldn’t let you know. And these are some of the things.
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“The statement they are making now will be the statement they will continue to make over time. How many times have you seen anybody, one single person being tried for xenophobic attacks? They wouldn’t try their own citizens for attacking other citizens for something which they believe is legitimately theirs,” he said.
Reacting to the call made by South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa calling for the end to the attacks on foreigners, the historian insisted that his plea wouldn’t have any effect on the citizens.
Speaking further, he said that South African citizens don’t usually travel to other countries unlike Nigerians and other citizens that go there for business.
This, to Dr Thomas, is because the country avails foreigners of many opportunities to make ends meet.
His comment follow the recent attacks on foreign nationals, mostly Nigerians, an act that has received global condemnation with the African Union calling for the immediate end to the attacks.
The Federal Government has issued a travel advisory warning citizens to avoid the country until the situation improves; the government has also joined those of some other African countries to boycott the ongoing World Economic Forum in South Africa.
