Veteran journalist and former presidential aide, Reuben Abati has called on Nigerians to support Mexico in its opening World Cup game against South Africa even as he said that there are still fears of xenophobic attacks on Nigerians living in the Southern African country.
Abati said the Federal Government was making efforts to evacuate Nigerians affected by xenophobic violence in South Africa when he spoke on Arise Television’s Morning Show on Thursday.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson had said earlier that arrangements had been concluded to bring back Nigerians that registered for evacuation, with an initial batch of 278 persons expected to return home,” he said.
Abati said the government had announced that it would assist and rehabilitate five batches of returnees, and over 1,000 Nigerians had indicated willingness to return.
He said the situation underscored the need for better living conditions in Nigeria, saying that if basic services such as electricity, water supply and healthcare were adequately provided at home, citizens would be less likely to seek opportunities abroad.
On football, Abati told Nigerians to back Mexico in its World Cup opener against South Africa at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City.
He joked that if he supported South Africa, people would accuse Nigerians of hogging opportunities that were meant for South Africans.
“All the arrangements have been made for those Nigerians that have signed up to be brought back to their country from South Africa because of the xenophobic attack,” the spokesman for the ministry of foreign affairs has said, Abati said. The first batch of 278 of them will be assisted, taken care of, rehabilitated by the Nigerian government.
‘We have been promised five batches. We hope that all the five batches over 1000 Nigerians saying that they will come back to their country. There must be a moral story there that if our country is properly organised nobody will need to go to seek electricity supply and water supply and good health care in other countries of the world.
“But today South Africa and Mexico will play the first game at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City. I am appealing to all Nigerians to support Mexico so that we do not even get to the point where the South Africans will say “these Nigerians are here again. They are doing their job for them and there will be another wave of xenophobic attacks.
“I think we will be more safe to support Mexico in this first game of the World Cup. The match is at 1pm Mexico local time, that is 7pm this evening and I expect Nigerians to support Mexico.
They say we don’t like them. They say we’re doing their job. Let’s not do their job for them. “We will support Mexico.”
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