Nigeria has called on the African Union (AU) to intervene as a matter of urgency to halt xenophobic attacks of other African nationals in South Africa.

According to a presidential adviser to President Buhari on Foreign Affairs and diaspora, with the current spate of attacks, it seemed that the South African government had lost control of the situation.

Abike Dabiri-Erewa’s statement comes after renewed attacks on Nigerians in the South African capital, Pretoria. Five businesses and a church were reportedly set ablaze over the past week.

‘‘We have lost about 116 Nigerians (in attacks in South Africa) in the last two years. And in 2016 alone, about 20 were killed. This is unacceptable to the people and Government of Nigeria,’‘ she said.

Last week, about 15 houses belonging to or rented by foreigners, especially Nigerians, were burnt by angry demonstrators in, Rosettenville, Johannesburg, South Africa. Police used teargas and rubber bullets to disperse the crowds, but the protesters were not deterred.

Two houses were alleged to have been burnt during the protest in the region, police tried to contain the angry crowd, but were unable as they continued to burn down more houses supposedly belonging to drug lords in the region.

The residents are angry that foreign nationals had turned the neighbourhood into a drug haven. There were also reports of looting of shops belonging to foreign nationals in the area.

South Africa residents in the area claim Nigerians had illegally taken over most properties and turned them into drug and prostitution dens.