AFCON semis: S/Africa debunks planned attack on Nigerians

South African authorities have debunked claims that Nigerians living in or visiting the country are not safe as both countries prepare for semifinal showdown today in Bouake, Ivory Coast.

Nigeria’s High Commission in Pretoria, in a statement, said potentially inflammatory online comments were made by a some South Africans against Nigerians living in the country.

“Most of the comments consist of veiled threats against ‘Nigerians cooking jollof rice’ before the match, and ‘showing pepper to Nigerians if the Bafana Bafana lose to the Super Eagles’, among others,” the advisory warned.

READ ALSO Peseiro downplays Super Eagles favourite tag against Bafana 

Reacting to the advisory by the High Commission, South Africa’s Head of Public Diplomacy, Clayson Monyela, described the threats as unfortunate.

“This is a very unfortunate & regrettable statement issued by our Nigerian friends. It creates unnecessary alarm & tension,” he wrote on X.

Monyela said both teams have faced each other on many occasions, and there is no record of hooliganism among South Africans against Nigerians.

“South Africans pose no threat to Nigerians. We’ll engage our Nigerian counterparts through diplomatic channels further on this. Totally unnecessary!”

In three meetings between South Africa and Nigeria at the AFCON, the latter has won all three ties.

Also in their overall head-to-head clashes, the Eagles have seven wins to South Africa’s two, with five draws recorded.

READ ALSO Okonjo-Iweala drums support for Super Eagles ahead Bafana clash

While the Nigerian team has won the AFCON three times, Bafana has won it just once.

Peace Stadium of Bouaké venue of today’s showdown is a 40,000 capacity stadium  opened in 1984. It is envisaged that the stadium will be full to capacity tonight considering the frenzy already being generated among football fans ahead of the match.