Bello warns Abuja residents against retaliation on S/African nationals in FCT

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Muhammad Bello, has called on the residents of the Territory, especially students and youths, not to carry out retaliatory attacks on South African Nationals and business interests in the FCT over the latest xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in South Africa.

Bello, who made the call Wednesday in Abuja, said the Federal Government was already exploiting diplomatic channels to address the issue and appealed to residents to allow those efforts to succeed.

He informed residents that the South African business interests in the FCT are in partnership with Nigerian investors and are contributing to the economic development of the Territory. Attacking or vandalising them will ultimately have negative economic consequences for the Nigerian economy and employees of those organisations, he pointed out.

Bello also assured South African Nationals and business interests in the FCT of their safety, adding that it was the pleasure of the FCT Administration to have them living and working in the Federal Capital Territory.

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The Minister, while appealing to FCT residents to remain calm and go about their lawful activities, warned that law enforcement agencies had been mobilised to forestall any breakdown of law and order and that anybody instigating or participating in any acts of violence or vandalism would face the wrath of the law.