Nigeria to Repatriate Over 1,000 Citizens from South Africa

The Nigerian government has initiated arrangements to repatriate over 1,000 Nigerians from South Africa amid increasing concerns over rising anti-immigrant sentiments and renewed xenophobic tensions in the country. The Nigerian Foreign Ministry confirmed that a voluntary repatriation program will commence on Thursday, although the final number of individuals to be repatriated has not yet been confirmed.

Kimiebi Ebienfa, a spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry, indicated that the total figure is expected to exceed 1,000. This development follows a similar move by Ghana, which recently repatriated hundreds of its citizens from South Africa due to fears of protests and violence targeting foreign nationals.

The Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria is negotiating a waiver with host authorities to ensure that individuals facing immigration-related offenses can return home rather than face detention in South Africa. The ongoing economic challenges in South Africa, including unemployment rates exceeding 30%, have contributed to repeated waves of xenophobic unrest, with recent incidents heightening fears of further violence.