Human rights lawyer, Mr Femi Falana (SAN), has called on the Federal Government to consider imposing economic sanctions on South African companies operating in Nigeria in response to the repeated xenophobic attacks on Nigerians and the destruction of their businesses in South Africa.
The Punch reported that Falana argued that diplomatic protests alone may not be sufficient to compel the South African authorities to take firm action against the attacks, stressing that Nigeria should embrace reciprocal measures in its dealings with the country.
The senior advocate made the remarks on Saturday in Ilawe Ekiti while speaking with journalists after a reception organised in honour of the late Alawe of Ilawe-Ekiti, Oba Adebanji Alabi.
According to him, Nigeria’s decision to take the matter before the African Union is unlikely to produce meaningful results, as it may only lead to the adoption of resolutions without effective enforcement.
Falana said, “The Federal Government will have to employ diplomatic action, but beyond that, it should also adopt economic measures against South African companies operating in Nigeria.
“International diplomacy is about reciprocity. If they chase out Nigerians and destroy their businesses, Nigeria has a duty to act. South African companies here should be sanctioned where there are alternatives.
“Where there are alternatives, Nigerians should be encouraged to migrate from MTN because there are alternatives. That is one way South Africa will know that Nigeria is serious.
“In the 1970s, because of apartheid in South Africa, Nigeria nationalised British Petroleum. It should also be possible today to nationalise some South African investments in Nigeria if necessary.
“There is the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights in Arusha, Tanzania, established by the African Union to address human rights abuses in member states.
“Nigeria has refused to allow its nationals access to that court by failing to deposit the necessary instruments.
“If Nigerians could approach the African Court in the same way citizens can approach the ECOWAS Court in Abuja, South Africa would have been dragged before the court by victims of xenophobic attacks.
“I challenge the government of Nigeria to allow citizens access to the African Court without any further delay. Victims of gross human rights violations in African countries should have the opportunity to seek justice before the continental court, just as they can at the ECOWAS Court,” he said.
