Lagos, Jan. 27, 2023 – The Nigeria Union South Africa (NUSA) has urged the South Africa Government to investigate the “invasion’’ of Nigerian mission in South Africa by officials of Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) and City Power.
It said the invasion disrupted normal consular services in the Consulate.
A statement by the union’s President, Mr Collins Mgbo, on Friday in Lagos, said that the City of Johannesburg officials invaded the Nigerian Consulate on Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2023.
It said that following the visit, the Consulate General of Nigeria in South Africa issued a statement expressing displeasure and called on the South African government to investigate the conduct of the City of Johannesburg officials.
“The invasion squad, which comprised officials of the Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) and City Power, as well as members of the press, arrived at the consulate without prior notice or appointment and disrupted normal consular services,” the statement quoted the Consulate as saying.
NUSA said it was worried over such treatment to the Nigerian Consulate, advising that necessary diplomatic channels should have been explored before such actions to avoid unnecessary diplomatic rows between Abuja and Pretoria which has enjoyed reasonable good relationship in the past few years.
“It is embarrassing to say the least in the sense that the issue isn’t about the Nigerian Consulate not being able or willing to pay its bills, but rather a matter of lack of proper communication and agreement between the two entities.
“We, therefore, call on Abuja and Pretoria to do the needful going forward and meet every obligation due to both sides in order not to create unnecessary hardship for Nigerians in South Africa and South African entities operating in Nigeria,’’ the statement said. (GBN)
