First group of Nigerians return from South Africa after being subjected to violence and harassment

Written by: Mohamed Ragab

The first group of Nigerian citizens deported from South Africa have arrived in Lagos, as part of a voluntary evacuation program launched by the Nigerian government following escalating protests and hostilities against migrants in South Africa.

The flight included 262 people, mostly women and children, along with three government officials who accompanied the return operation.

The chartered Air Peace plane landed at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, while Nigerian authorities confirmed that this flight marked the beginning of a series of evacuations targeting citizens wishing to return due to growing security concerns.

Wave of anti-immigrant protests 

The evacuation comes amid escalating anti-immigrant protests in several South African cities, where some areas have witnessed violence and intimidation targeting foreigners.

Reports indicate that groups of protesters have been roaming the neighborhoods, demanding that undocumented foreigners leave the country before the end of June.

The Nigerian government had previously announced that more than a thousand citizens had registered for voluntary repatriation from South Africa, following growing fears of violence or harassment.

Moving stories of returnees

Several returnees recounted their difficult experiences in recent years in South Africa, citing increasing difficulties in obtaining residency permits and renewing official documents. Some also spoke of feeling unsafe amid rising anti-immigrant rhetoric.

Some confirmed that they had to leave their properties and businesses behind in order to return to Nigeria, in order to protect themselves and their families, while others expressed concern about their future after returning.

In contrast, South African authorities confirmed that a number of those deported were residing in the country illegally or carrying expired documents.

Authorities indicated that they had processed the cases of hundreds of Nigerians in preparation for their deportation. They also announced that those subject to deportation would be banned from entering South Africa for five years.

The Nigerian government, however, believes that many of its citizens were residing legally, and that some of them faced administrative obstacles that prevented them from renewing their official documents, stressing that the current priority is to protect citizens and ensure their safety.

Concerns about the repercussions of the crisis on relations 

These developments once again highlight the issue of migration within the African continent and the challenges associated with it, at a time when concerns are growing about the impact of waves of violence against migrants on relations between African countries.

Nigeria has also joined other countries, including Ghana, Mozambique and Malawi, that have organized operations to repatriate their citizens from South Africa in recent weeks.