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Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, has reported a high demand for repatriation among Nigerians in South Africa.
Speaking to journalists on Monday, the minister said the repatriation process is ongoing, while also expressing Nigeria’s displeasure over violent anti-migrant protests and attacks targeting foreigners in South Africa. She reaffirmed the government’s commitment to evacuating affected nationals.
She explained that the evacuation process has not been completed due to required procedures, including screening by South African authorities and Nigerian officials.
“There are several processes, as you know, that have to be undertaken by South African homeland security. We ensure that we screen our citizens who want to return. They are also a part of the screening process,” she said.
“And once the citizens are cleared, they’re given a paper indicating they are free to go. So once this situation started getting worse, the President directed that a crisis response unit be immediately set up within our consulate and also the Nigerian mission in Pretoria.”
Odumegwu-Ojukwu also rejected claims that Nigerians in South Africa are illegal migrants, insisting many are legitimate business owners who have come under attack.
“Criminal actions are perpetrated on our citizens. The police refuse to do anything. The South African government has not issued a strong enough condemnation of these incidents. So our citizens are in peril,” she said.
“They are in distress. So there cannot be said to be illegal migrants. People doing legitimate business have had their shops looted and set on fire. Children cannot go to school because they are intimidated. To say Nigerians doing legitimate business are illegal migrants is absolutely untrue.”
The first evacuation flight, which was scheduled for Monday, was postponed to Wednesday.
Reports that two Nigerians were killed during anti-migrant tensions in South Africa have been dismissed by the country’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Ronald Lamola.
