Nigeria has announced plans to repatriate more than 1,000 of its nationals from South Africa following renewed anti-immigrant tensions and violence.
Foreign ministry spokesman Kimiebi Ebienfa confirmed that screening for the voluntary repatriation scheme began on Thursday, noting that the final numbers are still being compiled but expected to exceed 1,000.
In a communique, Nigeria’s High Commission in Pretoria revealed it had secured waivers from South African authorities to allow citizens with immigration-related offences to leave freely on repatriation flights rather than face detention.
The move mirrors Ghana’s recent decision to evacuate hundreds of its citizens after protests and attacks targeting foreigners intensified.
South Africa, despite being the continent’s most industrialised economy, continues to grapple with unemployment above 30 per cent, fueling periodic waves of xenophobic unrest.
The latest flare-up has reignited debates about migration, pan-African solidarity, and the realities of integration across the continent.
Authorities in South Africa have pledged stricter enforcement against undocumented migrants but urged citizens not to take the law into their own hands.
With more than three million foreigners, 5.1 per cent of the population living in the country, tensions remain high as citizen-led groups issue ultimatums for expulsions by June 30.
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