Amid rising xenophobic attacks in South Africa, the Nigerian Consulate in the country, in collaboration with the Nigerian Citizens Association in South Africa, has offered a free repatriation flight to Nigerians willing to return home permanently.
The president of NICASA, Frank Onyekwelu, told The PUNCH that the circumstance has prompted many Nigerians to close their shops and enterprises.
According to him, there is currently no formal support system in place for impacted Nigerians, but the consulate’s action does provide a choice for those who want to leave.
According to Onyekwelu, several Nigerians have already expressed an interest in going home.
He said, “The Nigerian Consulate in conjunction with NICASA has offered a free repatriation flight to any Nigerian who wishes to leave South Africa permanently, and the process is ongoing, as we have recorded many Nigerians signaling interest to return home.”
Meanwhile, Nigerians in South Africa have shared their horrific experiences.
They lamented that the recurring violence has continued to endanger their safety, livelihoods, and mental health.
Those who spoke with our journalists said they had been forced to remain indoors and were now living in constant fear of targeted attacks on foreign nationals.
Violent anti-foreigner protests broke out in places including Pretoria, Johannesburg, Durban, East London, and sections of KwaZulu-Natal, resulting in harassment, looting, property destruction, and injuries.
The unrest has caused anxiety and panic in the diaspora community, with the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission ordering Nigerian business owners to temporarily close to reduce risks and losses.
According to reports, the protests are being led by neighborhood groups, anti-immigrant organizations, and social movements such as Operation Dudula, the March and March Movement, and other local initiatives, frequently under the guise of combating illegal immigration and unemployment.
The demonstrations are organized by groups that accuse migrants of causing economic hardship and crime, with organizers demanding the expulsion of illegal foreign nationals, notably those from African nations such as Nigeria, Ghana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and Somalia.
Two Nigerians were slain in separate attacks related to the anti-foreigner protests.
The Nigerian Consulate General in Johannesburg stated that the two victims, Amaramiro Emmanuel and Ekpenyong Andrew, died in separate circumstances related to the attacks.
Ninikanwa Okey-Uche, Consul-General, said in a statement on Monday that Emmanuel died of injuries incurred after being battered by South African National Defence Force soldiers on April 20.
Andrew, she claimed, was captured on April 19 in the Booysens area of Pretoria after an alleged incident with Tshwane Metro Police officers, and his body was later recovered at the Pretoria Central Mortuary.
Hundreds of anti-foreigner demonstrators have been filmed in viral videos marching through streets with sticks and screaming anti-foreigner songs.
In one video, a Nigerian trader is challenged during a protest and told to leave the country with his family.
“How come you are here in South Africa to continue selling goods?” one of the men asked.
Despite justifying his long stay and source of income, the trader’s request was dismissed.
“I didn’t come to South Africa today. I have been here for a long time. The only thing is what I’m doing to feed my children,” he said.
The xenophobic group, however, insisted that foreigners were no longer welcome.
“From now on, we don’t want foreigners in this town. We are fixing our South Africa now,” one voice declared.
“Take your wife and go back to your country. Take your children and go and raise them at home,” another voice added.
In a separate occurrence, an Ethiopian national was shot dead in what appeared to be a targeted shooting in downtown Johannesburg, raising concerns about the safety of foreign citizens.
CCTV footage circulating online shows the victim being approached and shot at close range at a major junction, with no apparent provocation or robbery.
Authorities confirmed the ongoing investigation had not resulted in any arrests.
During the riots, the South African Police Service condemned acts of intimidation against foreigners.
“These actions are not only unlawful, but they stand in direct opposition to the values of dignity, equality, and human rights upon which our democracy is founded,” the police said.
Meanwhile, diaspora leaders claim that informal traders and residents of settlement areas are feeling the brunt of the conflict.
ABC Okokoh, the President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo in South Africa, told The PUNCH that the disturbances were primarily centered in informal communities, where many small-scale vendors operate.
According to him, black foreign nationals striving to make ends meet through petty commerce have been the most affected, with their companies disrupted.
“The people affected most are those staying in informal settlements. It is impacting traders who rely on small businesses to survive. Many of them are Black, and the question is why it is mostly them.
“Some areas are free. People like myself still go to work, but those in affected locations are staying indoors. It is not the whole of South Africa that is affected,” he added.
He also accused some local actors of manipulating the crisis for political benefit, while claiming that the administration has been cautious in dealing with the unrest to avoid inciting public sentiment.
“The host communities are being used to score political points. The government is also being careful not to trigger reactions that could worsen tensions.”
Okokoh, on the other hand, argued that there has been no government policy targeting foreign Blacks, and that the situation does not yet constitute a full-fledged xenophobic crackdown.
Regarding reported killings, he stressed that the deaths of two men were unrelated to the ongoing protests.
Olusola Agbeniyi, president of the Association of Yorubas in Diaspora in South Africa, confirmed this position, stating that no casualties were reported as a result of the demonstrations.
“As of today, there has not been any casualty. The killing of the two people is unconnected with this protest.”
Agbeniyi also stated that security presence has helped to prevent violence, saying that movements remain routine in most parts of the country, with the exception of select areas where undocumented immigrants are concentrated.
“There is police presence at the demonstration, and no one has been killed. Activities are ongoing in other areas, but in the central locations where this is happening, people are staying indoors.”
In response, the Nigerian Diaspora Commission stated that there had been no official update on the situation and that the subject had been pushed to the ministerial level.
The commission’s head of the media, public relations, and protocols unit, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, disclosed on Friday that the minister of foreign affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, was engaging with South African authorities and that Nigerians were awaiting the outcome of the ongoing discussions.
