Should President Buhari Sue South Africa Over Xenophobic Attacks?
Written by Smooth FM on September 16, 2019
A former External Affairs Minister and Professor of Political Science, Bolaji Akinyemi, has urged the Nigerian government to take South Africa to the International Criminal Court of Justice.
The violence against Nigerians and other Africans in parts of South Africa had erupted on September 1, forcing the Nigerian government to evacuate its citizens from the country. Akinyemi accused the South African government of failing to protect Nigerians and making statements unbecoming of a responsible country.
According to him, “Nigeria must sue because the attacks were in violation of Article 2, Paragraph 2 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. He said they also violated Article 2, Paragraph 1 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, and the International Convention on the Protection of Migrant Workers.“
But former Commonwealth Secretary-General Chief Emeka Anyaoku said it would not be wise for Nigeria to approach the ICC on the matter, stressing: “The two countries have large mutual interests to protect for themselves and for Africa.”
He said the statement of apology by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa yesterday at the funeral of former Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe in Harare “should be welcomed and high level diplomacy should now be employed by Nigeria to de-escalate the situation and make South Africa pay compensation.”
However, the Federal Government said it would not rule out any option in its response.
SOURCE: Guardian
