FG reassures Nigerians in South Africa as Xenophobia Fears Grow, 269 More Evacuees Return

The Federal Government has assured Nigerians living in South Africa that their safety remains a priority despite renewed anti-immigrant protests that have heightened fears of xenophobic attacks across the country.

The reassurance came as another 269 Nigerians voluntarily returned home on Tuesday aboard an Air Peace evacuation flight from Johannesburg, the second government-coordinated airlift in recent weeks. The returnees landed at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, at about 10:48 a.m.

The latest evacuation followed reports that large numbers of Nigerians gathered outside the Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria amid growing anxiety over demonstrations demanding the removal of undocumented migrants.

The renewed tensions also coincided with the reported killing of a Nigerian businessman popularly known as “Big Joe,” who was shot dead by unidentified gunmen outside his shop in Witbank, Mpumalanga Province, on Sunday. South African police have yet to determine the motive for the killing.

Thousands of demonstrators marched through several South African cities on Tuesday, calling for undocumented foreigners to leave the country. The protests followed an ultimatum issued by anti-migrant groups, while security agencies deployed heavily armed police officers, private security personnel and soldiers in anticipation of possible violence.

Although police described the demonstrations as largely peaceful, isolated incidents of looting, assaults and vandalism were reported in parts of Johannesburg, Soweto, Germiston and KwaZulu-Natal Province.

Authorities said approximately 50,000 undocumented migrants have been arrested since January, while about 25,000 have already been repatriated, most of them citizens of other African countries.

Ahead of the protests, President Cyril Ramaphosa appealed for calm after meeting protest leaders, acknowledging concerns over immigration while warning against violence and intimidation.

“Some foreign nationals who live in South Africa are here lawfully,” the president said in his weekly newsletter.

“They work, study, raise families, invest in our economy and contribute positively to our society. They too are entitled to the protection of our laws and our Constitution.”

He further stressed that the right to demonstrate must be exercised responsibly.

“The right to protest does not allow people to threaten or intimidate others, or to engage in acts of vandalism or violence.”

FG intensifies evacuation efforts

In Abuja, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the Federal Government had accelerated plans to evacuate Nigerians willing to return home, particularly following the June 30 deadline announced by anti-migrant groups for undocumented foreigners to leave South Africa.

The ministry said diplomatic engagements with the South African government were continuing to ensure the protection of Nigerians who remain in the country.

Before Tuesday’s evacuation, another 66 Nigerians had returned to Lagos on June 24 aboard a ValueJet flight facilitated by airline chairman Kunle Soname.

Officials of the Nigerian Mission in South Africa accompanied the latest batch of returnees, who were received in Lagos by senior officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs led by the Director of African Affairs, Ambassador Haruna Ali-Gombe.

Speaking during the reception, Ali-Gombe conveyed President Bola Tinubu’s message to the evacuees.

He said, “The batch of 269 evacuees, escorted by officials of the Nigerian Mission in South Africa, were officially received at the airport by senior officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs led by the Director, African Affairs Department, Ambassador Haruna Ali-Gombe, mni, who conveyed the heartfelt greetings and assurances of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, to the returning nationals, reaffirming the Federal Government’s steadfast commitment to ensure the safety of Nigerian nationals living outside the country.”

The ministry maintained that the evacuation exercise remained active.

It stated, “With the June 30 deadline on undocumented foreigners to leave South Africa, the Federal Government wishes to reiterate the fact that the evacuation process is still on course and more flights are expected in the country in the next few days to evacuate all Nigerians that have been screened and cleared to voluntarily return to the country. Government will continue to engage South African authorities at the highest levels to ensure the protection of Nigerian nationals living in the country.”

Announcing Tuesday’s arrival, the ministry added: “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs wishes to inform that the second evacuation flight from Johannesburg, South Africa, operated by Air Peace, arrived the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, on Tuesday, 30th June 2026, at 10.48 am with 269 returnees. This is in addition to 66 returnees that arrived via South African Airways, facilitated by a good-spirited Nigerian, on the 24th of June, 2026.”

Embassy clarifies crowd situation

Nigeria’s Acting High Commissioner to South Africa, Temitope Ajayi, explained that many Nigerians who gathered outside the mission had responded to unofficial announcements circulated by community groups instead of following embassy directives.

He said the evacuation programme was being implemented in batches and only screened individuals scheduled for each flight were invited.

“The (Nigerian) community here puts people in a difficult situation. Our agreement was that it is only when the flight is coming that we call the people who are captured on the list because we have a list for different batches.

“The last time we called them, the community went overboard to announce that everybody should report, whereas that was not the case. It is not what we asked them to do.”

Ajayi added that several people currently staying in churches or outside the embassy had arrived without being cleared during the screening process.

He said, “Some of these people you said are staying at the church were those who defied the mission’s notification and followed the community’s notification. They found themselves in such a situation, which is uncalled for. Some of them were not even captured during the screening exercise. They just showed up, while some were told to exercise patience so that we could call them when it was their turn. We are following due process to ensure that everything is orderly.”

On the reported killing of a Nigerian businessman, Ajayi said the mission was working with South African police.

“We are getting an initial report. We are getting detailed information to be clear on the circumstances surrounding that. We have been liaising with the police, and we are getting a preliminary report concerning that incident. Yes, he is a Nigerian living there, but we are getting the details.

“As you are aware, there is a case that happened in April, and there was the case of the Uber driver in February. We have submitted the case files to the government. We have written a protest note to the South African Ministry of Foreign Affairs. They said they have commenced investigations into the officers and those involved, and they will furnish us with the outcome of the investigation, which is what we are waiting for.”

He also confirmed that evacuations would continue until all Nigerians who volunteered to return had been airlifted.

“A total of 269 people arrived in Lagos this morning. The evacuation is ongoing. We have done about three batches now. The number remaining should be around 700, whom we are going to evacuate based on people who voluntarily showed interest in coming back to Nigeria.

“The mission has been taking care of those who come to the embassy claiming their rent has expired and other issues. At the mission now, we have close to 150 people. We are doing the evacuation in batches. When it gets to their batch, we will evacuate them.”

Community leaders urge calm

President-General of the Nigerian Union South Africa, Barrister Smart Nwobi, said the organisation had advised Nigerians to stay indoors while closely monitoring the protests.

He disclosed that President Cyril Ramaphosa had assured community leaders that security agencies had been fully mobilised.

“We are still monitoring things. We instructed our people to close their shops and stay indoors.

“The South African President has assured that they have deployed enough resources for security agencies to ensure that no life or property is lost during the anti-migrant protest. As a union, we are monitoring things with our agents at every corner, and the police have reacted to cases where people wanted to take the law into their own hands. There is the use of rubber bullets, and police tanks are all over.”

Nwobi said humanitarian support was being provided to displaced Nigerians.

“The returnees have gone to the Nigerian embassy where they are being fed by the Nigerian Union and other organisations. There are provisions of humanitarian relief, blankets and other necessities.

“About 79 men were taken to a nearby church after a pastor volunteered the facility as a refuge centre, while over 80 women and children remained at the Nigerian High Commission.”

He said more evacuation flights were expected. “We still have more than 600 Nigerians who have already been screened and cleared to be repatriated on the Federal Government flights. Two of those flights have come, and we are expecting the third, fourth and fifth batches. The Nigerian High Commission has promised that the third batch might be here on Thursday.

“We are glad that the Federal Government, through President Bola Tinubu, has kept its promise to protect the lives of Nigerians. We thank everyone who has played a role in ensuring that our people are evacuated.”

Nwobi also urged state governments to emulate Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma by providing financial support for returnees and called for a review of Nigeria’s bilateral relations with South Africa.

“Our government should review the agreement and relationship it has with South Africa in view of the ongoing xenophobia. Nigeria has received illegal immigrants without complaining,” he said.

Calls for stronger diplomacy

President of the Association of Yorubas in Diaspora, South Africa, Dr. Olusola Agbeniyi, said Tuesday’s demonstrations ended without attacks on Nigerians.

“Today’s march ended peacefully. Nothing happened. They only protested against illegal immigrants,” Agbeniyi said.

Deputy Chairman of the Nigerian Citizens Association South Africa (NICASA), Western Cape Province, Leo Azebeokhai, urged Abuja to strengthen diplomatic engagement with Pretoria and improve passport renewal services.

“People travel from different provinces to Johannesburg just to renew their passports. A return flight from Cape Town can cost more than R3,000, and many simply cannot afford it,” he said.

He added: “There are many people whose passports have expired, not because they don’t want to renew them but because they cannot access the renewal process.

“Our body, over time, has engaged the consulate and pleaded with them to find a way to come to different provinces so that they can have these people captured. But what the consulate keeps telling us is that they have applied for a machine, a mobile capture machine, from Nigeria, and they are still waiting.

“There are a lot of people who want their passports renewed but cannot renew them. So, a lot of passports expire because people can’t renew them, not because they don’t want to. So, when your passport expires, you become someone with expired documents.

“So, that is one way that the Nigerian government can at least do something. Nigerians in South Africa didn’t disappear from Nigeria and appear in South Africa. They came through the borders, they came through points of entry, like the airport.

“So, papers are expiring. We apply for document renewals, and it’s either delayed at Home Affairs and your document expires and nothing happens. I believe that the Nigerian government, through Foreign Affairs and all that, can engage its South African counterparts more, you know, it’s diplomacy.”

He further said: “We need our documents renewed. We want to work, we want to do business. If you don’t get your business permit, you can’t do business. If you don’t get your work permit, you can’t work.

“And this is majorly because of the Nigerian government, which I believe has not really engaged the South African government. They have to push more. So, whatever they know they have to do with their counterparts here, they should just do it. Nigerians pay as much as R40,000 trying to renew documents, but don’t get them.

“The Nigerian government, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, should engage more with its South African counterpart. This is about diplomacy. Nigerians need their documents renewed so they can work, do business and remain compliant with the law.”

On the evacuation exercise, Azebeokhai said: “The government promised that they were going to make available five airlines. So far, only two have moved.

“It’s about 596 nationals now, close to 600. About 66 were lifted by a citizen. We don’t even know who that person is, a Nigerian citizen who volunteered. Most people are kind of stranded. I am not sure what the situation is back home or why this is being delayed, but I believe the government should be able to do more.”

He added: “This (Tuesday) morning, the President of NICASA had an emergency meeting with us where he asked for help. We’ve been trying to contribute some money so that we can get relief materials, maybe food and all that, for those who are stranded.

“These people were asked to leave where they were staying because they would be evacuated. Most of them gave up their homes, maybe sold their properties and all that, so they are kind of stranded. It’s winter in South Africa. People are hungry and stranded,” he said.

Retired ambassadors also urged the Federal Government to intensify diplomatic engagement, accelerate evacuations and pursue long-term solutions through the African Union, while the National Association of University Students warned that it would organise nationwide protests if South African authorities failed to curb attacks on Nigerians.

Speaking at a press conference, NAUS President Meshach Nwankwo declared: “The National Association of University Students unequivocally condemns every act of xenophobia, hate speech and violence directed against Nigerians and indeed any African living lawfully in another African nation.”

He added: “Nobody has the monopoly of wisdom. Nobody has the monopoly of violence.