Nigeria Offers Free Repatriation as South Africa Anti-Foreigner Violence Escalates

The Nigerian Consulate in South Africa, working in collaboration with the Nigerian Citizens Association in South Africa (NICASA), has announced a free repatriation flight for Nigerian nationals who wish to return home permanently amid renewed waves of anti-immigrant violence across parts of the country.

The development was confirmed by NICASA President, Frank Onyekwelu, who told Saturday PUNCH that growing insecurity had forced many Nigerian-owned businesses to shut down temporarily, while others were considering permanent relocation.

According to him, although there is currently no formalised welfare or compensation framework for affected nationals, the consulate’s intervention has provided a critical exit option for those no longer willing to remain in the country.

He said increasing numbers of Nigerians were already registering interest in the voluntary return programme.

“The Nigerian Consulate in conjunction with NICASA has offered a free repatriation flight to any Nigerian who wishes to leave South Africa permanently, and the process is ongoing as we have recorded many Nigerians signalling interest to return home,” Onyekwelu stated.

The announcement comes against the backdrop of renewed anti-foreigner protests in several South African cities, including Pretoria, Johannesburg, Durban, East London, and parts of KwaZulu-Natal. The demonstrations have reportedly led to incidents of harassment, looting, destruction of property, and injuries, raising fears within migrant communities.

Eyewitness accounts and diaspora testimonies describe a climate of fear, with many foreign nationals restricting movement and, in some cases, remaining indoors for safety. Nigerian residents say the psychological toll has been severe, with uncertainty affecting both livelihoods and daily life.

The protests are being driven by local activist groups and movements such as Operation Dudula and the March and March Movement, which argue that undocumented migration is contributing to unemployment and crime. Their demonstrations have increasingly targeted African migrants, particularly nationals from Nigeria, Ghana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and Somalia.

The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) has also advised Nigerian business owners to temporarily suspend operations in high-risk areas to prevent further losses.

Violence linked to the unrest has already turned deadly. The Nigerian Consulate General in Johannesburg confirmed that two Nigerians, Amaramiro Emmanuel and Ekpenyong Andrew, lost their lives in separate incidents connected to the attacks.

According to Consul-General Ninikanwa Okey-Uche, Emmanuel died after allegedly sustaining injuries from personnel of the South African National Defence Force on April 20. Andrew was reportedly arrested following an altercation with municipal law enforcement in Pretoria on April 19, after which his body was later discovered at a mortuary.

Disturbing footage circulating on social media has shown groups of protesters marching through neighbourhoods chanting anti-foreigner slogans and demanding that migrants leave. In one widely shared encounter, a Nigerian trader was confronted and told to shut down his business and leave the country with his family despite explaining his long-term residence and livelihood.

“I have been here for a long time. I am only trying to feed my family,” the trader was heard saying, though the crowd insisted that foreigners were no longer welcome in the area.

Meanwhile, violence has not been limited to Nigerian nationals alone. An Ethiopian man was recently shot dead in central Johannesburg in what police described as a suspected targeted killing. Authorities say investigations are ongoing and no arrests have yet been made.

The South African Police Service has condemned all forms of intimidation and attacks on foreign nationals, stressing that such actions undermine the country’s constitutional values.

“They stand in direct opposition to the values of dignity, equality, and human rights upon which our democracy is founded,” the police said.

For many Nigerian traders, however, the situation has already translated into significant financial losses. Business owners in Johannesburg and surrounding areas report declining sales, forced closures, and repeated threats to personal safety.

A restaurant operator in Braamfontein, Yemisi Adewale, said she narrowly escaped an attack during one of the recent incidents at a local market, adding that uncertainty now defines daily life for many foreign business owners.

The unfolding situation continues to raise concern within Nigeria’s diplomatic and diaspora communities, with growing calls for long-term protection mechanisms for citizens abroad.

Source: Saturday PUNCH