I left my wife and twins behind - why this Nigerian man fled South Africa

Nigerian businessman Richard Itoro made the difficult decision to leave his wife and twin children behind in Johannesburg and fly to Nigeria in June due to escalating anti-migrant protests in South Africa. The 47-year-old had built a successful car dealership business and a family over 15 years, but now faces the possibility of never seeing his loved ones again due to fear for his safety.

His experience is part of a larger trend, with tens of thousands of foreigners leaving the country over the past two months. South Africa's outspoken Culture Minister, Gayton McKenzie, maintains that the protests were aimed at undocumented foreigners and that the country is only open to legitimate migrants with proper documentation.

However, Itoro's legal status did not protect him from the hostility he faced, as evidenced by a copy of his document proving his right to stay in the country. The situation has put diplomatic relations between South Africa and other African countries under strain, with Nigeria's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Sola Enikanolaiye, expressing concern over the attacks on Nigerians despite their valid papers.

The incident has sparked controversy on social media, with some videos showing confrontations between Nigerians and South Africans. While South Africa's high unemployment rate is seen as a contributing factor to the tension, it remains to be seen if diplomatic efforts will help mend the fractured relations between the two nations.