Nigeria Screens 400 Citizens for Return from South Africa

The Federal Government of Nigeria has initiated a screening process for 400 Nigerians seeking to return home from South Africa amid renewed xenophobic tensions. This exercise, conducted by the Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria, is part of a special repatriation program announced by the federal government last month.

The screening process is expected to continue until Sunday, with assurances that Nigerians participating will not face arrest during the exercise, as South African authorities have granted waivers for this purpose. The initiative comes in response to escalating anti-immigrant protests, which have raised safety concerns for foreign nationals in South Africa.

Activist groups have issued ultimatums for undocumented migrants to leave the country, contributing to anxiety among immigrant communities. The Nigerian government is facilitating the return of between 2,000 to 4,000 citizens, while other nations, such as Ghana and Mozambique, are also evacuating their citizens amid similar unrest.