Nigerian Automobile Mechanic Loses N240.650m In Renewed Xenophobic Attack

Oladipupo Mojeed with agency report

Simon Adeoye, a South African based Nigerian automobile mechanic on Tuesday said that he lost N240.650m (R10m) to the Xenophobic attack on his workshop on Saturday.

Speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on telephone from Pretoria, South Africa,  42-year-old Adeoye said he got a call on the day of the incident that his workshop had been set ablaze and rushed to the place.

Adeoye recount loses

Adeoye said he was helpless by the time he got to his workshop as all the cars in his workshop has been set ablaze.

“By the time I got there, 29 cars of different make, some Nigerian passports, documents of the workshop, money and other personal effects had been destroyed by fire.  I was helpless and could not do anything,” he said.

Adeoye said that some of the cars belonged to South Africans while others were being repaired for sale.

He appealed to the federal government of Nigeria to get him back to his feet.

“I appeal to the Federal Government to assist me get back to business. Officials of the Nigerian mission have visited the workshop to do an assessment and we are yet to hear from them,” he said.

According to him, the mission should provide replacements for the passports gutted by fire to enable affected Nigerians have documents.

“At the moment, I have lost everything I have. I need urgent help to re-start my business. This will also assist me pay my workers who have families to cater for,” he said.

Adeoye stated that officials of Nigeria Union had visited and commiserated with him on the unfortunate incident.