The Federal Government(FG) has started plans to seek compensation for Nigerians who lost businesses, homes and other property while escaping anti-immigrant protests in South Africa, after evacuating another 271 citizens from the country.
Acting Nigerian High Commissioner to South Africa, Alexander Ajayi, said returnees had started documenting assets they left behind before discussions with South African authorities begin. The latest evacuation brought the total number of Nigerians brought home to 601.
The evacuation flight, as reported by The Guardian on 1 July, departed Johannesburg aboard Air Peace’s Boeing 777-200 aircraft and landed at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos at 10:35 a.m.
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The government also warned Nigerians, including those who had just returned, not to go back to South Africa because of the security situation.
The evacuation followed anti-illegal immigration protests held in several parts of South Africa. Police deployed heavily to protest locations and intervened in several incidents to prevent clashes between demonstrators and foreign nationals.
South African authorities also set aside R600 million to support police operations at protest locations. Malawi, Ghana and Nigeria have started bringing home citizens who chose to leave the country.
Many migrants said hostility towards foreign nationals had made daily life difficult. Protest organisers claimed undocumented migrants were taking jobs, putting pressure on public services and failing to pay taxes.
Returnees recount losses and fear
Several evacuees, The Guardian revealed, said they abandoned businesses and personal belongings built over several years as they fled for safety.
Emmanuela Akagosu said she regretted relocating to South Africa in 2017 after living through repeated threats and attacks.
“My experience in South Africa was not good at all. They are not accommodating. They see Nigerians as hardworking and enterprising, so they feel threatened by us.”
She also said, “South Africa is not a safe place. . .”
Another returnee, Sandy Oris from Anambra State, said 14 years of work ended after attackers looted and destroyed his shop.
“They destroyed my shop and carted away all my goods. I came back to Nigeria with nothing.”
Oris appealed for government support to help returnees rebuild their lives and said he had no plans to leave Nigeria again.
The Edo State Government has started arrangements to receive and reintegrate its indigenes who returned from South Africa.
Lucky Agazuma, Director General of the Edo State Migration Agency, said the state had put measures in place to assist them.
A representative of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Dipo Odebowale, said individuals and organisations had also provided financial support.
He said a church donated N100,000 to each returnee, Pastor Bolaji Idowu gave another N100,000 to each person, while MTN provided N100,000 and N50,000 worth of recharge cards to help with immediate resettlement.
Meanwhile, police in South Africa reported several incidents linked to the nationwide protests.
In Germiston, officers took a man who identified himself as a Malawian into protective custody after an angry crowd surrounded him.
In Johannesburg, police separated protesters and residents after stones and bottles were allegedly thrown during a march.
KwaZulu-Natal police arrested seven suspects in separate cases involving break-ins at shops owned by foreign nationals, robbery, intimidation and assault on police officers.
The Federal Government’s planned engagement with South African authorities now shifts attention to compensation for Nigerians who lost investments while fleeing violence, as support efforts continue for those who have returned home.
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