— FG vows rapid repatriation as citizens suffer “harassment, looting, intimidation”
— Says retaliation not off the table
By Johnbosco Agbakwuru
ABUJA — The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Ojukwu, on Monday expressed the Nigerian government’s disappointment with the way South African authorities and security agencies have handled the ongoing harassment and intimidation of Nigerians in the country.
This comes as the Nigerian government launched a crisis response to evacuate its citizens from South Africa after a wave of attacks and property looting that left Nigerians “imperiled” and “in distress.”
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.
She said: “It (repatriation) wasn’t actually supposed to start today (Monday). 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.”
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.
