Former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore has spoken out against the escalating online conflict between Nigerians and South Africans.
On Thursday, tensions between citizens of both nations flared up online, with individuals from each country ordering and then canceling rides from the other’s ride-hailing services as a form of protest.
Sowore urged Nigerians to cease what he described as cyberbullying of South Africans. In a post on X, he condemned the actions of some Nigerians who disrupted online transportation services in South Africa, labeling it as “cyber xenophobia.” He emphasized that this behavior is just as harmful as physical or mental xenophobia.
Sowore highlighted the potential negative impact of such actions on millions of South Africans and Nigerians living abroad. He noted that the ride-hailing company Bolt had already taken action by suspending several accounts involved in fraudulent ride requests and cancelations. Additionally, Bolt has limited ride requests between Nigeria and South Africa due to the surge in such activities.
The online dispute, which has been dubbed a “Bolt for Bolt” challenge on social media, left many South African and Nigerian users confused after prank ride requests were made. In response, Bolt implemented restrictions on inter-country ride requests to prevent further disruption.
