… As 1,092 Nigerians register for evacuation
By Eshioromeh Sebastian
The Federal Government on Monday declared that it is considering retaliatory diplomatic measures against South Africa, including a possible review of bilateral privileges enjoyed by South African businesses and nationals in Nigeria, following renewed xenophobic attacks on Nigerian citizens.
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, who briefed State House correspondents after a meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, confirmed that 1,092 Nigerians have so far voluntarily registered for repatriation, with over 500 already screened and cleared for evacuation.
The minister did not mince words in expressing Nigeria’s displeasure with its southern African counterpart, accusing the South African government of failing to respond firmly enough to the wave of attacks targeting Nigerian nationals.
“Nigeria Is Not Happy with South Africa”
Odumegwu-Ojukwu painted a grim picture of the ordeal facing Nigerians in South Africa, describing systematic harassment, looting of properties, and intimidation of children in schools.
“Our citizens are being harassed. Our citizens’ properties are being looted. Criminal actions are being perpetrated, and the police refuse to do anything,” she said. “The South African government has not come out strongly and firmly enough to condemn these incidents.”
The minister rejected outright claims by some South African authorities that the Nigerians under attack were illegal migrants.
“To say that Nigerians who are in South Africa doing legitimate business are illegal migrants is absolutely untrue,” she stated. “People who are doing legitimate business have their shops looted, their shops set on fire. Children cannot go to school because they are intimidated in their schools.”
She added, “They are not asking other migrants to leave. They are only asking black migrants to leave.”
Historical Sacrifice Recalled
The minister reminded South Africa of Nigeria’s monumental sacrifice for the anti-apartheid struggle, arguing that the current treatment of Nigerians makes the attacks especially painful and unacceptable.
“Nigeria is not happy with South Africa. Nigeria sacrificed much for the South African struggle for independence,” Odumegwu-Ojukwu said. “Nigeria committed funds, committed resources. In schools, seats were reserved for South African students.”
She drew from personal experience to drive home the depth of Nigeria’s commitment.
“My own generation, we carried placards, we demonstrated in front of South African assets. Sometimes we even got arrested for doing this,” she recounted. “Nigeria is a serious frontline state, and Nigerians are not happy about how they have been treated.”
Retaliatory Measures “Not Off the Table”
When asked directly whether Nigeria was considering retaliatory measures, including the suspension or review of privileges currently enjoyed by South African businesses and nationals in Nigeria, the minister gave a clear warning.
“That is a situation that we are considering,” she said. “This is a decision that has to be taken at the highest level of government. But it is not off the table.”
Her comments align with earlier resolutions by the National Assembly. The House of Representatives had recommended a temporary suspension of business permits for South African companies operating in Nigeria, while the Senate resolved to send a high-level delegation led by Senate President Godswill Akpabio to South Africa to formally express Nigeria’s displeasure.
Evacuation Logistics Underway
On the evacuation exercise, Odumegwu-Ojukwu confirmed that President Tinubu had approved five Air Peace evacuation flights and directed a crisis response unit to be immediately established within Nigeria’s consulate in Johannesburg and the mission in Pretoria.
As of Monday, June 8, 1,092 Nigerians had voluntarily registered for repatriation, with the screening exercise now extended to June 10 to accommodate all applicants. Over 500 Nigerians have so far been screened and cleared for evacuation.
The first flight, which was to airlift approximately 270 passengers out of Johannesburg on Monday, was rescheduled to Wednesday due to logistical considerations. The foreign ministry clarified that the delay was not caused by diplomatic setbacks but by operational issues requiring additional coordination.
“This evacuation is being undertaken with NEMA,” the minister explained. “We are doing that with various government agencies and parastatals to ensure that once Nigerians come in, they can be rehabilitated.”
Nigeria Stands Firm Against SA Objections
South Africa’s government has publicly objected to Nigeria’s evacuation plans, with South Africa’s foreign minister expressing concern and misgivings about the exercise during a call with Odumegwu-Ojukwu on May 7.
The Nigerian minister said she held her ground firmly.
“I maintained that our government cannot stand by and watch the systematic harassment and humiliation of our nationals resident in South Africa as well as the extrajudicial killings of our people,” she recounted. “The evacuation of our citizens who want to return home remains our government’s priority at this time.”
The Federal Government had earlier summoned South Africa’s Acting High Commissioner, Lesoli Machele, for urgent talks at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Abuja on May 4.
The current crisis was triggered by anti-immigration protests organised by groups including Operation Dudula and March for March in late April 2026, which generated widespread anxiety among foreign nationals across multiple South African provinces.
Waves of xenophobic violence have erupted in South Africa in 2008, 2015 and 2019, each time displacing and killing foreign nationals, many of whom are Nigerians, and straining bilateral relations between the two countries.
Amid severe attacks in 2019, Air Peace CEO Allen Onyema had offered free evacuation flights for Nigerians wishing to leave, and Nigeria recalled its High Commissioner from Pretoria as several South African businesses in Nigeria faced retaliatory attacks.
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