The Federal Government has evacuated 271 more Nigerians from South Africa following escalating anti-immigration protests and growing fears over the safety of foreign nationals.
The latest batch arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, on Tuesday aboard an Air Peace Boeing 777-200, bringing the total number of Nigerians evacuated from South Africa to 601.
Authorities advised Nigerians against returning to South Africa for now, warning that the security situation remains volatile as demonstrations targeting undocumented migrants continue across several cities.
Many of the returnees recounted traumatic experiences, saying they fled with nothing after abandoning businesses, homes and personal belongings to escape the violence.
One of the evacuees, Emmanuela Akagosu, said she was forced to leave behind everything she had built since relocating to South Africa in 2017.
According to her, many Nigerians lived in constant fear as hostility toward foreigners intensified.
“My experience in South Africa was terrible. They see Nigerians as hardworking and successful, and that makes them feel threatened,” she said.
Akagosu also recalled narrowly escaping an attack after protesters threatened foreign nationals and warned them to leave or face death.
Another returnee, Sandy Oris from Anambra State, described his 14-year stay in South Africa as his greatest regret after his business was looted and destroyed during the unrest.
“They destroyed my shop and took everything. I came back to Nigeria with absolutely nothing,” he lamented.
He appealed to the Federal Government to assist returnees who have lost their means of livelihood, adding that he has no intention of returning to South Africa.
The Edo State Government has begun arrangements to receive and reintegrate indigenes among the evacuees.
Director-General of the Edo State Migration Agency, Lucky Agazuma, said measures were already in place to support returning residents as they rebuild their lives.
The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) also disclosed that several organisations and individuals had offered financial support to the returnees.
According to NiDCOM representative Dipo Odebowale, a church donated ₦100,000 to each evacuee, while Pastor Bolaji Idowu made a similar contribution. MTN also provided ₦100,000 in cash and ₦50,000 worth of airtime to every returnee to ease their immediate resettlement.
Meanwhile, the Acting Nigerian High Commissioner to South Africa, Alexander Ajayi, said the Federal Government would pursue compensation for Nigerians who lost businesses and property while fleeing the violence.
Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, Ajayi said affected Nigerians had begun documenting abandoned assets ahead of discussions with South African authorities.
The evacuation followed growing anti-illegal immigration protests under the “March and March” campaign, with demonstrations spreading across several South African cities.
Police maintained a heavy presence at protest hotspots and repeatedly intervened to prevent clashes between demonstrators and foreign nationals.
One of the most dramatic incidents occurred in Germiston, where police rescued a man identifying himself as a Malawian citizen after an angry crowd surrounded him. Officers later said they would verify his immigration status before taking further action.
In another incident, protesters detained a Zimbabwean national before handing him over to police. He was later found to possess a valid passport, confirming that he was legally in the country.
In Johannesburg, police restored order after objects were allegedly thrown at anti-immigration protesters, while in KwaZulu-Natal, seven suspects were arrested over crimes linked to attacks on foreign nationals, including robbery, break-ins, intimidation and assaults on police officers.
Although the protests disrupted commercial activities in some areas, the South African government ruled out imposing a nationwide shutdown and urged demonstrators to remain peaceful, warning against criminal acts.
Police have since deployed additional personnel and security vehicles to flashpoints as tensions remain high.
Protest organisers insist their campaign targets illegal immigration rather than lawful foreign residents, arguing that undocumented migrants place pressure on jobs, healthcare, education and other public services.
The unrest has prompted several countries, including Nigeria, Malawi and Ghana, to facilitate the voluntary return of citizens wishing to leave South Africa.
