President Muhammadu Buhari has stressed the need for South African government to be more proactive in detecting early signals of violence between competitors.
This is as he advised foreigners to comply with the laws of the host country.
Buhari gave the advice on Thursday during his meeting with South African president, Cyril Ramaphosa, in South Africa.
Recall that the president visited South Africa over the xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in recent time.
According to the Senior Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, Buhari stressed the need to be proactive just as he encouraged tolerance, vigilance and heightened security to ensure safety of citizens.
He was quoted as saying that “competition heralded by globalisation, especially with ease in migration, will only get more intense for businesses.”
“Police must be on alert not to allow violence to escalate,’’ he added.
He noted that the business world had changed with foreigners competing with locals in businesses that were initially considered low.
The solution, the president said, was for security agencies to show more interest in market operations, players and likely areas of tensions.
“Like it is said, ‘when you are in Rome behave like the Romans’. Always be law abiding,’’ he told Nigerians.
The president said attacks on Nigerians were unacceptable, and he said the citizens and businesses of South Africa in Nigeria would be protected.
“In my discussions with President Ramaphosa and the Bi-National Commission meeting, we reviewed wide range of issues at national, regional, continental and global levels…
“Our two countries have also agreed to unequivocally address the challenges in our relations including the recent people to people challenges that saw attacks against foreign nationals, including Nigerians, and their properties, which we strongly condemned,” he disclosed.
South African president, Ramaphosa, condemned the attacks on Nigerians and other Africans.
He said his government would work with the Nigerian government to ensure peaceful relationships.
“We will work together to promote cohesion and best values. What happened did not reflect our values.
“We both condemn the attacks and the reprisal in strongest terms. We will set up mechanisms for early signals,’’ he said.
