Xenophobic attacks: Jonathan suspends Foreign Affairs Perm Sec for recalling envoys from South Africa

President Goodluck Jonathan has suspended the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Danjuma Sheni, over the recent recall of Nigeria’s envoys to South Africa without due authorization.
Nigeria had on Saturday announced the recall of its acting High Commissioner in Pretoria, Martin Cobham, and the deputy High Commissioner in Johannesburg, Uche Ajulu-Okeke, on Saturday, in protest of the ongoing xenophobic attacks in the Southern African country.

A statement from the foreign affairs ministry, quoted the minister, Aminu Wali, as saying that the diplomats were “summoned for consultations” over the attacks.

 

South Africa condemned the decision, describing it as “unfortunate and regrettable”, and portraying Nigeria as opportunistic.
South Africa’s foreign affairs spokesperson, Clayson Monyela, said in a statement that his country was shocked that the Nigerian government would resort “to such an extraordinary diplomatic step to express outrage at actions or behaviour of another government”.
“We are not sure which actions or behaviour of the South African Government the Nigerian Government is protesting,” Mr. Monyela said.

 

“If this action is based on the incidents of attacks on foreign nationals in some parts of our country, it would be curious for a sisterly country to want to exploit such a painful episode for whatever agenda”, he stated.
Daily post