The Federal Government says it will seek compensation from the South African government for businesses and properties abandoned by Nigerians repatriated from the country following rising anti-immigration tensions.
Naijaonpoint reports that Nigeria’s Acting High Commissioner to South Africa, Alexander Ajayi, disclosed this during an interview on Channels Television.
Ajayi said the government had commenced documenting the businesses and properties left behind by returnees as part of efforts to pursue compensation.
The development comes amid renewed attacks on African immigrants in South Africa and growing claims that foreigners are taking jobs meant for South Africans.
Rights groups in the country had also issued a June 30 deadline for undocumented migrants to leave.
Ajayi said discussions had already commenced with South African authorities on the issue.
“In terms of the businesses, just three days ago, myself and the South African Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs were together, and we were discussing this,” he said.
“I took up the discussion with her, and we have agreed that we are going to ask our people who are returning to begin to document what they are leaving behind.
“I have asked them before they left yesterday to document very accurately those things they were leaving behind in terms of businesses, cars, movable and immovable properties.”
According to him, the information would form the basis of discussions with the South African government.
“We can now take it up with the South African government. That is the next step we are going to take.
“This repatriation will not end with just taking people to Nigeria. We are going to systematically follow up on the information given to us,” he added.
Ajayi urged returnees to provide accurate details of their abandoned assets.
“We are going to work with the South African government to get to the exact locations of all these businesses, shops and properties and present them to the South African government for possible compensation because we will not allow the labour people have suffered to build over the years to just go down the drain or be taken over by people,” he said.
Ajayi said those returning to Nigeria had voluntarily opted to leave South Africa ahead of the anti-immigration protests.
He added that many Nigerians residing in the country were undocumented.
On Tuesday, another batch of Nigerians evacuated from Johannesburg arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.
The latest evacuation followed the arrival of 258 Nigerians on June 11 and another 66 returnees on June 24 under the Federal Government’s voluntary repatriation programme.
