Xenophobia Fallout: 105 Nigerians Evacuated from South Africa

Another group of 105 Nigerian nationals has been repatriated from South Africa amidst persistent xenophobic attacks on black foreigners, underscoring an uneasy period in Nigeria-South Africa relations. This latest evacuation highlights ongoing challenges faced by Nigerians residing in South Africa, prompting both private and governmental efforts for their safe return.

The recent batch of 105 Nigerians, comprising 82 adults and 23 children, arrived in Lagos on South African Airways (SAA) Flight SA060 on Thursday, September 24, at approximately 20:30 hours. Upon their arrival, the returnees were received by various state officials, including representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).

Remarkably, the repatriation of this group was largely funded by private donations. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that 100 of the 105 returnees had their one-way tickets purchased through a generous donation of $265,854 from the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), which has committed to evacuating 500 distressed Nigerians. The remaining five individuals in this batch were funded by a private Nigerian citizen, showcasing significant philanthropic involvement in these humanitarian efforts.

The Nigerian government has expressed profound gratitude to the RCCG, under the leadership of Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye, and other philanthropic groups and individuals for their crucial support. Nigeria’s diplomatic mission in South Africa continues to engage with the leadership of the RCCG and other organizations, as more distressed Nigerians are currently undergoing preliminary clearance with the Consulate in Johannesburg and relevant South African authorities for future evacuations.

This latest arrival marks the 13th consular evacuation from South Africa since the exercise commenced, bringing the total number of Nigerian nationals evacuated to 1,821. Of this cumulative total, the Federal Government states it has fully funded the evacuation of 1,388 individuals, demonstrating a significant commitment to its citizens affected by the unrest.

The ongoing xenophobic violence has tragically resulted in the deaths of at least five Nigerians. The most recent reported incident occurred in July, involving Chika Simon, who died under questionable circumstances during an encounter with the South African Police Service (SAPS).

Earlier incidents include the alleged murders of Amaramiro Emmanuel and Ekpenyong Andrew in April. Both victims were reportedly killed by personnel of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) in Port Elizabeth. Mr. Andrew’s body was discovered at the Pretoria Central Mortuary days after his arrest on April 19 in the Booysens area of Pretoria, following an alleged altercation with the Tshwane Metro Police. Mr. Emmanuel succumbed to injuries a day later from an alleged SANDF attack.

Further tragedies struck on June 28 with the deaths of Emeka Iroegbu and Musa Joe under different circumstances. Mr. Joe was killed by "suspected criminals" in Witbank city, Mpumalanga province, while Mr. Iroegbu was reportedly tortured to death by officers of the Tshwane Metro Police in the suburbs of Pretoria.

Despite the severity of these incidents, investigations into these cases remain pending months later, with no arrests having been made. The Nigerian government continues to express deep concern about the persistent attacks on Nigerians and other Africans in South Africa. It reiterates its commitment to pursuing diplomatic efforts and other concrete measures to secure the cooperation of South African authorities in decisively addressing the scourges of Xenophobia and Afrophobia, and ensuring the safety, security, and dignity of Nigerians resident in the country.