Nigerian Governor Fingered In South African Sex Scandal; Embassy Weighs In

• South African Female Politician Calls Douye Diri ‘Lover’
• Consulate Condemns Leak, Calls For Investigation As Nigerians Come Under Verbal Attacks 

Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State has been allegedly fingered in a leaked sex tape scandal involving the Speaker of South Africa’s African National Congress (ANC) Free State Legislature, Zanele Sifuba.

The accusations came several days after the sex tape of Sifuba had trended on the internet. In the video, the top South African lawmaker was captured engaging herself in a sexual manner in what appears to be a video call.

Taking to Facebook on Thursday, Sifuba identified Governor Diri as the Nigerian man who leaked the video.

She described the Nigerian politician as her lover whom she trusted.

“This is the picture of the man who leaked our video. He is my lover whom I trusted. A Nigerian Official, by name Douye Diri,” she said, posting the picture of the governor.

“I trusted him with my life, but he betrayed me. Please share for the whole world to know the kind of man he is,” Sifuba posted on her Facebook account.

This is however coming against initial reports which had said the tape was leaked by a young man who reportedly tried to extort R300 000 from Sifuba, and when she did not pay, the video was released.

The leaked tape has triggered a deluge of reactions among South Africans. While groups and parties in the country have tried to sympathise with the embarrassed politician and condemned the circulation of her nude images and sex tape, others have expressed disappointment and disgust over her conduct and the clip making the rounds.

Following the alleged link of the sex tape to Governor Diri, Nigerians have come under intense verbal attacks online amid concerns it could lead to physical assault on the ground if the issue is not quickly addressed by authorities as South Africans are prone to dishing out xenophobic attacks on foreigners, including Nigerians.

Reacting, Nigeria’s Consulate in Johannesburg in a public statement dated November 9, titled, ‘Condemnation Of Heedless Circulation Of Sex Video By Unnamed Nigerian’ condemned the video and sympathized with the lawmaker as it cautioned that more investigation is required to unravel the nationality of the individual involved.

The statement signed by the Consulate General of Nigeria, said, “The Consulate General of Nigeria, Johannesburg, has been apprised of media reports regarding the alleged involvement of an unnamed Nigerian national in the circulation of sensitive materials in blatant disregard to the privacy of the Speaker of Free State Provincial Legislature, Hon. Ntombizanele Sifuba.

“The Mission unequivocally condemns and distances all law-abiding Nigerians from the egregious and reprehensible violation of Hon. Sifuba’s privacy by anyone, whether Nigerian or not.

“We note that the alleged act is a flagrant violation of South Africa’s legislation on combating gender-based violence (GBV) and cyber abuse and join all well-meaning members of the public to empathise with Hon. Sifuba and her family over the regrettable incident.

“While awaiting the outcome of investigations into the real identity of the perpetrator of this heinous crime, the Mission wishes to call on the media to refrain from hasty and definitive conclusions on the nationality of the suspect as this may put the lives and property of law-abiding Nigerians in South Africa at risk.

“The Consulate General therefore reassures host authorities of its full support and cooperation towards the identification, tracking, arrest and prosecution of any Nigerian believed to be responsible or complicit in the mindless circulation of the sex video.

“It also appeals to the public to desist from further circulation of the offensive video and negative profiling of foreign nationals based on the alleged acts of criminal-minded individuals.”