By Olatunji Saliu
ABUJA, Sept. 4 (Xinhua) -- Nigerian security authorities have beefed up security around South African businesses in the country amid rising tension among citizens to unleash mayhem on them in reprisal of recent xenophobic attacks in South Africa.
In the Nigerian capital, Abuja, heavy security presence was seen by Xinhua crew in vicinities where the South African businesses are located.
The police commissioner in the Federal Capital Territory, Bala Ciroma told media he has ordered a special force to forestall any reprisal attack.
"We have already deployed a significant number of our security personnel to curtail any reprisal attack," the police officer said.
The move to tighten security is aimed at preventing the breakdown of law by some Nigerian protesters who are apparently miffed by the development in South Africa.
Renewed attacks hit Johannesburg on Monday, with some Nigerians reportedly among the victims.
In retaliation against the attacks, some Nigerian protesters had reportedly taken to the streets to loot and attack known South African businesses in Nigeria, including grocery stores.
Among the South African businesses most targeted are Shoprite, which is a chain of retail stores in Africa, telecommunications giant, MTN, and DStv, a sub-Saharan African direct broadcast satellite service owned by MultiChoice.
Stern-looking policemen were seen on the ground in parts of Abuja since Tuesday evening. The police had mounted human and vehicular barricade in one of the biggest outlets of Shoprite in the city.
South African businesses here closed earlier on Tuesday for fear of attacks by angry Nigerian mobs.
"We received an order from above that we must close early and vacate the businesses premises while allowing security agencies to perform their duties," one manager of Shoprite told Xinhua on Tuesday.
In Lagos, Nigeria's commercial hub, the government said it had ordered security agencies to provide stronger protection around the South African businesses.
"These attacks are condemned as they are against the Nigerian spirit of accommodation and benevolence that the country in general and Lagos State, in particular, is noted for," said the state government of Lagos.
The government's position was in response to reports about the attacks on Shoprite's complexes in parts of Lagos in which hoodlums were seen looting the retail stores on Tuesday.
MTN on Wednesday ordered the closure of all its offices and service outlets in Nigeria till further notice.
According to reports by local media, in Ibadan, capital of the southwestern state of Oyo, an outlet of the MTN was burned by protesters but security agents immediately took charge of the situation at the location, preventing further break down of law and order.
The police in the southeastern state of Enugu on Wednesday said they had beefed up security over possible reprisal attacks by residents on South African businesses.
A spokesman for the police Ebere Amaraizu told Xinhua that security operatives had increased patrol in the state especially within Enugu metropolis, deploying more policemen to locations where South Africa-owned businesses exist.
On its part, the Nigerian government has appealed to citizens not to attack South African companies operating in Nigeria in retaliation for the xenophobic attacks against Nigerians and other foreigners in South Africa.
Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday appointed a special envoy to South Africa in the wake of the attacks affecting Nigerians in that country.
The special envoy dispatched by the Nigerian leader is expected to arrive in Pretoria on Thursday at the latest, to convey his concerns to the South African president and interact with him on the situation.
Presidents of the two countries are scheduled to meet in October for bilateral talks and also on matters relating to the security of Nigerians in South Africa.
