Panic has gripped the staff and management of the South African telecommunication giant, MTN in Asaba, capital city of Delta state. The panic is not unconnected to the Wednesday threats by a coalition of Niger Delta militants, to blow up Multichoice, owner of DSTV, MTN, Shoprite, and 16 other major South African investments in Nigeria over the recent xenophobic attack on Nigerians in South Africa.
The threat is contained in a copy of a letter addressed to the Office of the South African High Commissioner to Nigeria, and signed by ‘General’ John Duku (Niger Delta Watchdogs); ‘General’ Ekpo Ekpo (Niger Delta Volunteer); and ‘General’ Hart Bradford (Niger Delta Strike Force).
It would be recalled that few weeks ago, South Africans had launched severe xenophobic attack on Nigerians and their businesses in South Africa. The militants also gave one month ultimatum to South Africans living in Nigeria, to leave the country en masse.
Meanwhile, the Asaba office of the MTN has stopped customers from parking their cars at the usual parking lot of the multinational telecommunication company for fear of the unknown.
When our correspondent visited the premises on Friday morning, it was observed that the company’s private security operatives (Halogen Security Company Limited), were preventing customers from driving into the premises to park their cars.
A brief chat with one of the private security operatives, who confided in our correspondent said that vehicles have been banned from parking in the company’s parking lot following threats issued fee days ago to all South African companies operating in the country following the xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in South Africa.
“So we are very vigilant now, no customer vehicles are allowed into the parking lot. That is the instructions from above to us and that’s exactly why we have been carrying out for the past days now.” the source said.
Apart from MTN, DSTV, and Shoprite, some of the South African companies in Nigeria listed for attack by the militants are: Eskom Nigeria, South African Breweries (SAB Miller), Umgeni Water, Refresh Product, LTA Construction and Protea Hotels.
