• Ojukwu assures govt still going ahead with repatriation of distressed citizens
•Says retaliatory measures not ruled out
Deji Elumoye in Abuja
The federal government on Monday registered its displeasure over the ill-treatment of Nigerians living in South Africa, insisting Nigerian citizens residing in that country have been unfairly targeted, harassed, and abused.
Answering questions from newsmen at State House, Abuja, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, 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, we carried placards, we demonstrated in front of South African assets. Sometimes, we even got arrested for doing this. And Nigeria is a serious frontline state, and Nigerians are not happy about how they have treated us.
“They are not asking other migrants to leave, they’re only asking black migrants to leave.”
Odumegwu-Ojukwu added that the federal government was considering possible retaliatory measures over the xenophobic attacks against Nigerians in South Africa.
According to her, any final decision on the matter would require consideration at the highest levels of government, including the National Assembly.
“Well, that is a situation that we are considering,” she stated.
The minister added, “This is up to our legislature. This is up to the highest, this is a decision that has to be taken at the highest level of government, but it’s not off the table.”
Odumegwu-Ojukwu clarified that the repatriation process for distressed citizens had not been delayed. She explained that the authorities were expected to conclude the necessary formalities on June 8, assuring that plans to evacuate affected Nigerians from South Africa remain on course.
She also disclosed that President Bola Tinubu had directed the immediate establishment of a crisis response unit within the Nigerian Consulate in Johannesburg and the Nigerian Mission in Pretoria as reports of attacks and harassment escalated.
The minister explained that efforts had intensified to reach affected Nigerians across various provinces of South Africa and facilitate assistance for those seeking access to consular services
She stated, “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 to be assisted 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.
“The figures keep increasing. There are several processes, as you know, that have to be undertaken by South African Homeland Security. We then 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 that they are free to go, essentially.
“It wasn’t actually supposed to have started today. It’s just that we were supposed to have rounded off the formalities today.
“The repatriation is on course. Mr. President himself has reiterated the fact that this aircraft must come to South Africa, and our citizens who are imperilled will have the chance of getting on this aircraft to be brought back to their country.”
Reacting to claims by some South African authorities that many of the Nigerians seeking repatriation were illegal migrants, the minister firmly rejected the assertion, describing it as false and misleading.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu maintained that the affected Nigerians were law-abiding residents and business owners who had become targets of harassment, intimidation, and criminal attacks.
According to her, several Nigerians have had their properties looted and businesses vandalised or set ablaze, while some families have been forced to keep their children away from school due to safety concerns.
She stated regarding the South African claim, “That is absolutely untrue. Our citizens are being harassed, our citizens, their properties are being looted, criminal actions are perpetuated on our citizens, the police refuse to do anything.
“The South African government has not come out strongly, firmly enough to condemn these incidents. So, our citizens are imperilled, they are in distress, so they cannot be said to be illegal migrants.
“People who are doing legitimate business have their shops looted, they have their shops set on fire. Children cannot go to school because they are intimidated in their schools. So, to say that Nigerians who are in South Africa doing legitimate business are illegal migrants is absolutely untrue.”
Odumegwu-Ojukwu also assured that arrangements were being made to rehabilitate evacuated Nigerians upon their return to the country.
She said the federal government was working with National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and other relevant agencies to ensure that returnees received the necessary support to reintegrate into society.
“This evacuation is being undertaken with NEMA,” she said, adding, “We’re doing that with various government agencies and parastatals to ensure that once they come in they can be rehabilitated.”
