Xenophobia: More than 5,000 people out of jobs because of reprisal, says Sanwo-Olu

Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governor of Lagos state, says more than 5,000 people are currently out of jobs following protest after the xenophobic attacks in South Africa. 

Some of the protesters had broken into business outlets owned by South Africans, including Shoprite.

Sanwo-Olu, who visited some of the affected shopping malls in Ajah and Surulere areas of the state, lamented the consequence of the acion.

“These are jobs where Nigerians are the ones that have been affected. So, we need to be able to take the lessons out of this, be stronger together and be able to take corrective measures to ensure that things like these should certainly not repeat itself in our community,” he said. 

“We have seen the amount of enormous destruction in both plazas and the first thing is to condemn in strong terms whatever could have led to this. It is an extensive destruction of people’s property.

“In both malls, over 5,000 people are out of jobs. These are jobs where Nigerians are the ones that have been affected.

“As a government, we have come out to condemn this and to assure business community that ease of doing business is paramount to us and security of lives and property is part of the to-do list for us.

“We are charging our security operatives to stop at nothing to ensure that they keep all of these facilities safe and secure.” 

The governor asked business owners to build positive engagements with their communities so as to be acceptable by the people.

He also added that Lagosians in turn should see such organisations as part of them and equally own and protect them against attacks.