Nigeria to Repatriate 1,000 Citizens from South Africa

The Nigerian government has commenced plans to repatriate 1,000 citizens from South Africa amid increasing xenophobic attacks in the country. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed this initiative on Friday through its spokesperson, Kimiebi Ebienfa.

The voluntary repatriation program began on Thursday, with expectations that the number of participants may exceed 1,000, although the final figure has not yet been determined. This action follows similar measures taken by Ghana, which recently repatriated hundreds of its nationals from South Africa due to escalating fears of violence against foreign nationals.

The situation has sparked renewed debates about xenophobia and migration across Africa, particularly as South Africa's economy, which has historically attracted workers from the region, faces a 30% unemployment rate and a resurgence of xenophobic protests.