ABUJA — The Federal Government has evacuated 258 Nigerian citizens from South Africa amid a fresh wave of xenophobic violence targeting foreign nationals in that country.
The evacuation flight landed in Abuja on Friday, with officials from the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission receiving the returnees. Several of those evacuated arrived with visible injuries. Many others carried only the few belongings they could grab before fleeing.
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Horror Stories From Cape Town
One returnee, Chukwuemeka Obi, a Lagos-born trader who had lived in Cape Town for six years, described the moment a mob attacked his shop. “They came with fire,” he told reporters. “They burned everything. They said go back to your country.”
His story was not unique. Several others described being chased, beaten, or robbed in targeted attacks. “South Africans treated us like animals,” said Ngozi Adeyemi, a nurse who had worked in Johannesburg for four years. “We did nothing wrong. We just tried to make a living.”
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Federal Government Reacts
President Bola Tinubu described the evacuation as a reflection of his administration’s commitment to protecting Nigerians wherever they are. The Foreign Affairs Ministry issued a formal protest to the South African government, demanding accountability and the protection of remaining Nigerians in the country.
South African officials have condemned the violence but have so far not made any arrests in connection with the attacks.
Growing Concern
Nigeria’s Senate has called for an emergency review of bilateral relations with Pretoria. Some lawmakers are pushing for economic sanctions if the South African government fails to protect Nigerian residents.
The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission estimates that over 40,000 Nigerians currently live and work across South Africa.
