Xenophobia: 1,695 Nigerians repatriated from S’Africa, says envoy

The Nigerian envoy to South Africa, Ambassador Ajayi Alexander, announced that 1,695 Nigerian citizens have been repatriated from South Africa this year, amid threats against foreign nationals. The evacuations were voluntary, with some Nigerians who registered to return not showing up for the flights. The Federal Government funded five repatriation flights, each carrying at least 200 Nigerians, while the mission arranged two or three batches of one-way tickets for citizens seeking to leave.

The mission is preparing for another evacuation after the Redeemed Christian Church of God offered to sponsor the return of 500 Nigerians. This follows anti-immigrant groups in South Africa issuing fresh threats against foreigners and setting a deadline for them to leave the country by the end of September. Despite the security concerns, relations between Nigeria and South Africa remain strong at the highest level of government.

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