Commander in Chief of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) Julius Malema has launched a blistering attack on Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan over his silence on recent Boko Haram attacks in the town of Baga.
Malema was Addressing journalists in Johannesburg, where he described Jonathan as an “irresponsible” leader and urged the South African government to intervene and fight the Islamic group.
“Eh Goodlook, or Badluck or whatever his name is or badluck I don’t know… He is quick to release a statement about the killing of Paris and don’t say anything about the killings in his own country. That is irresponsible leadership,”.
Nigeria’s military said on Monday that at least 150 people had been killed in clashes with Islamists in the north-eastern town of Baga. The United Nations human rights office, however, noted that there were “wildly differing” accounts, with some reports putting the toll at 2 000.
Malema said the EFF was saddened by the continued massacres in Nigeria, adding that the party “will be raising the matter in Parliament”.
He said that Jonathan condemn the recent terrorist attack on a magazine in France while he remained silent on the bloodbath in Baga.
Boko Haram has killed thousands in a five-year rebellion which is seen as the biggest security threat to Africa’s top oil producer and is a headache for Jonathan ahead of what is likely to be a closely fought vote on 14 February.
At least 11 320 Nigerian refugees have fled the violence by crossing into neighbouring Chad since the start of the year, according to the UN refugee agency.