The Nigerian Mission in South Africa has sent out an advisory to Nigerians living in the country to be careful and vigilant

This advisory follows reports about a group threatening to attack foreign nationals on the 2nd of September under an operation called ‘Dudula’

Nigerians may once again, find themselves in the line of fire in South Africa with the emergence of a new movement named, operation Dudula which has sent out notice of a protest march slated for the 2nd of September

Operation Dudula, which started in June of 2021 is aimed at send packing, all irregular migrants in South Africa

What becomes more worrying is a statement adduced to the movement’s National Secretary, of plans to also send out documented migrants who are allegedly taking jobs belonging to South African Citizens

Grave reports on the movement’s activities shows acceptance of the movement by many South African Citizens, even to the point of inviting them to their locations to rid it of foreigners

The dangers of such a movement or any other which is set against foreign nationals, is that it connotes country as ‘unfriendly’

Some representatives of countries in South Africa Afeica have already tagged the movement as xenophobic

Members of the group denied this insisting it is a civil movement whose only aim is to force the government to apply the immigration laws

But already their activities contradicts this stand, as they attack businesses owned by foreigners and harass innocent foreigners, blaming them for the poverty, high rate of crimes and unemployment in South Africa

The statement from the Nigerian Mission in South Africa, signed by the Consular section warns Nigerian residing in South Africa to be cautious as they go about their businesses and activities

Amnesty International wants the government to do more to protect foreign nationals even as President Cyril Ramaphosa has condemned vigilante type of group action against foreigners

The United Nations on its part is increasingly concerned over the way foreigners are treated in South Africa

South Africa is bound by the international protocol on human rights and protection of Refugees which it has ratified.