ABUJA — Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Ojukwu, yesterday expressed the federal government’s disappointment with the manner South African authorities and security agencies have handled the ongoing harassment and intimidation of Nigerians in the country.
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This is even as the government has launched a crisis response to evacuate Nigerians from South Africa after a wave of attacks and property looting that left them”imperiled” and “in distress.”
It also yesterday postponed the evacuation of 270 Nigerians from South Africa to tomorrow, citing unforeseen logistical challenges. Recall that the evacuation had earlier been slated to begin yesterday.
Speaking to State House correspondents, the minister rejected claims by some South African authorities that most affected Nigerians were illegal migrants.
Asked whether those seeking repatriation were largely undocumented migrants as claimed by South African authorities, Ojukwu said: “To say that Nigerians who are in South Africa doing legitimate business are illegal migrants is absolutely untrue.”
On the position of the Nigerian government, she said: “Nigeria is not happy because Nigeria has sacrificed much for the South African struggle for independence.
“Nigeria sacrificed quite a lot, committed funds, committed resources to aid South Africa. In schools, seats were reserved for South African students. My own generation carried placards; we demonstrated in front of South African assets.
“Sometimes we even got arrested for doing this. Nigeria is a serious frontline state, and Nigerians are not happy about how they have been treated. They are not asking other migrants to leave; they’re only asking black migrants to leave.”
Asked whether Nigeria might retaliate by restricting privileges for South Africans in Nigeria, Ambassador Ojukwu did not rule out punitive responses.
She said: “Well, that is a situation that we are considering. This is up to our legislature. This is a decision that has to be taken at the highest level of government, but it’s not off the table.”
On why the repatriation of Nigerians from South Africa slated for Monday did not take place, she said what was supposed to be concluded were documentation formalities.
“It (repatriation) wasn’t actually supposed to start today (yesterday). It was just that we were supposed to have rounded off the formalities today. The repatriation is on course. Mr. President himself has reiterated that this aircraft must come to South Africa, and our citizens who are imperiled will have the chance to get on this aircraft to be brought back to their country.”
Also fielding questions on the number of Nigerians to be repatriated, Ambassador Ojukwu said: “The figures keep increasing. There are several processes, as you know, that have to be undertaken by South African Homeland Security.
“We ensure that we screen our citizens who want to return; they also are part of the screening process, and once the citizens are cleared, they are given a paper that indicates they are free to go, essentially.
“So, once this situation started getting worse, the President directed that a crisis response unit be immediately set up within our consulate and also the Nigerian Mission in Pretoria.
“As things are, we have people in different provinces; we also have people who need assistance to get to the Nigerian consulate in Johannesburg, so we’re in the process of all that, but the documentation, which is the most important aspect of this, has been done.”
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On the government’s plans for returnees, the minister said the evacuation would be coordinated with domestic agencies.
“This evacuation is being undertaken with NEMA. We’re doing that with various government agencies and parastatals to ensure that once they arrive, they can be rehabilitated,” she said.
FG postpones evacuation of 270 Nigerians to tomorrow over logistics
Meanwhile, the government has postponed the evacuation of 270 Nigerians from South Africa to tomorrow, citing unforeseen logistical challenges.
‘’The flight, which was earlier scheduled to leave Johannesburg on Monday evening, will now depart two days later,’’ the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said yesterday
Spokesperson of the ministry, Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, said the delay was necessary to allow authorities finalise arrangements for the repatriation.
The evacuation is part of government’s response to the recent wave of anti-migrant attacks in South Africa, where foreign nationals have been targeted by mobs.
According to the ministry, over 1,000 Nigerians have so far been screened and cleared to return home.
The ministry said further details on departure and arrival times in Lagos would be released once final clearance was obtained.
Ebienfa had noted that contrary to the earlier announcement that willing Nigerians would fund their return home, the government would now bear the cost and would not also rely on private donations for the exercise this time around.
Speaking to BBC News Pidgin last month, he noted that while Nigerian businessman, Allen Onyema, provided a free flight to evacuate citizens during the 2019 xenophobic attacks, the government was taking full responsibility this time.
“The Nigerian government will not wait for philanthropists to donate their planes before doing what it is supposed to do and evacuate its citizens facing trouble anywhere in the world,” he said.
The postponement comes a day after South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa, addressed the nation on the crisis, saying his administration would crackdown on illegal migrants.
In a televised broadcast on Sunday, Ramaphosa had condemned the attacks on foreign nationals and vowed to end illegal migration.
“We must end illegal migration, we must deal with the challenges. We reject the notion that we must tolerate illegal migration. We can enforce our laws, we can secure our communities,” he said.
He, however, cautioned South Africans against reprisals, urging them to “overcome the challenges through peace and love, not through fear, anger or violence.”
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