The South Africa High Commission to Nigeria has shut down its offices and consulate in Lagos .

This decision became imperative because of fear of attack by youths in the country.

According to the Acting High Commissioner, Amb. Bobby Moroe, the Mission has been directed to suspend all consular activities until the situation improved.

He noted that the reported attacks on South Africans in parts of the country informed the decision to close down the Mission.

Moroe stated, “I directed that the Mission should be closed until the situation improves. We heard that South Africans were being pulled out of vehicles and attacked. We feel unsafe and that is why I directed that the mission should close down until further notice.”

 The envoy said the Mission would remain closed because he did not want to take chances.

In the meantime, the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Malam 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 xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in South Africa.

He said that the Federal Government was already exploring diplomatic channels to address the issue, appealing that residents should allow the efforts to succeed.

Bello in a statement further noted that the South African business interests in the FCT were set up in partnership with Nigerian investors and were contributing to the economic development of the city.

“Attacking or vandalising them will ultimately have negative economic consequences for the Nigerian economy and employees of those organisations,” the minister said in the statement by his media aide, Anthony Ogunleye.

He also assured South African nationals and business interests of their safety, adding that it was the pleasure of the Administration to have them living and working in the FCT.