No fewer than 67 Nigerians Wednesday returned to the country from South Africa amid concerns over xenophobic attacks and the safety of foreign nationals in the country.
The returnees arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos at 8:45 p.m. aboard South African Airways and were received by officials of the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, and the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, NCFRMI, Channels Television reports.
NEMA’s South-West coordinator, Alex Oturu, said the return was facilitated by well-meaning Nigerians who provided the returnees with flight tickets and other assistance.
The latest repatriation brings to 150 the number of Nigerians who have returned from South Africa in two batches within the past week.
The previous batch of 83 Nigerians arrived in Lagos on August 19 following an arrangement supported by private individuals who funded their air tickets.
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The returnees are leaving amid renewed anti-migrant tensions in South Africa, where foreign nationals have faced recurring for nearly two decades.
The latest tensions intensified after vigilante groups ordered undocumented foreigners to leave the country, prompting protests and fears of further attacks against migrants.
More than 176,000 people have reportedly left South Africa in recent weeks, based on figures from African countries that have repatriated their nationals.
South African police have reported at least four migrant deaths linked to the violence, although some foreign governments have put the death toll higher.
The development has also attracted diplomatic concern across Africa. Ghana has called for the African Union to debate the anti-migrant violence, while Nigeria has also pushed for the issue to be placed on the AU agenda.
The latest repatriation highlights growing concerns over the safety of Nigerians and other African migrants in South Africa as authorities face continued pressure to address xenophobic violence and protect foreign nationals.
