Nigeria evacuates citizens from South Africa amid rising anti-migrant sentiment
via The Namibian3 min read
Nigeria has repatriated 268 of its citizens from South Africa, with a flight landing in Lagos from Johannesburg. This follows a rise in anti-migrant sentiments in South Africa, where approximately 1,000 Nigerians have registered for repatriation. Ghana, Zimbabwe, and Malawi have also conducted evacuations. Many individuals from other African nations moved to South Africa after 1994, seeking improved living conditions. However, with South Africa's unemployment rate exceeding 30%, anti-migrant sentiments have intensified, leading to protests and xenophobic attacks. One Nigerian passenger, Justin, who had lived in South Africa since 1998, stated he was leaving due to safety concerns and a June 30 deadline for undocumented migrants. He reported being attacked and insulted. While no official figures on recent xenophobic violence deaths are available, police confirmed two Mozambican men were killed in Western Cape, though without a stated motive. Mozambican authorities claim a higher death toll due to xenophobia. Protesters attribute South Africa's high unemployment and strain on public services to migrants. However, Nigeria's consul general in South Africa, Ninikanwa Okey-Uche, argued that migrants, comprising less than 10% of the population, cannot be blamed for systemic issues and are being scapegoated. A spokesperson for South Africa's Border Management Agency indicated that none of the repatriated passengers had legal documentation. Okey-Uche suggested that processing delays c
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by The Namibian.
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