The Federal Government has commenced plans to evacuate Nigerians willing to return from South Africa following renewed waves of xenophobic tension sweeping through parts of the country.
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, disclosed this on Thursday through a post on her verified Facebook page after a telephone conversation with her South African counterpart, Ronald Lamola.
According to the minister, Lamola raised concerns over Nigeria’s decision to evacuate citizens seeking to leave South Africa amid rising anti-foreigner hostilities.
She revealed that the South African minister also acknowledged growing unease over anti-migrant demonstrations and sentiments across the country, with the latest protest surfacing in Durban on May 6.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu said, “I maintained that government cannot stand by and watch the systematic harassment and humiliation of our nationals resident in South Africa.
“More so, the extra-judicial killings of our people, and the evacuation of our citizens who want to return home, remain our government’s priority at this time.
“I also highlighted the need for their police and justice systems to take the cases on ground of extra-judicial killings of Nigerians in South Africa more seriously and there should be clear and immediate consequences for such acts.”
She noted that although Wednesday’s protests in Durban did not spiral into violence due to heavy security deployment, Nigerians were advised by the Nigerian Mission to shut their businesses and remain indoors as a precautionary measure.
The minister explained that discussions between both countries revolved around inflammatory rhetoric and actions linked to anti-foreigner political groups in South Africa, warning that such developments had placed the lives and property of Nigerians and other foreign nationals on a knife’s edge.
She added that the situation could equally threaten South African interests in Nigeria.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu, however, commended Nigerians in South Africa for keeping their cool despite mounting provocation.
“Nigerian children and children born of both Nigerian, and South African parents referred to as ‘Sougerians’ are being wrongfully bullied in schools, and taunted to return to their country.
“This is reprehensible and capable of causing trauma to young minds, for whom such incidents may remain etched in memory,” she said.
Quoting Lamola, the minister stated that South African authorities recognised their responsibility to protect affected children and were working through educational supervisory bodies to discourage such conduct.
She also recalled earlier condemnations by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa over the troubling climate in the country.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu expressed concern that calls for foreigners to leave South Africa appeared largely targeted at Black Africans.
“It appears to be targeted only toward black Africans, which makes one wonder whether what is happening should not be more accurately defined as ‘Afriphobia’ rather than Xenophobia.
“President Bola Tinubu has directed the Nigerian Missions in South Africa to set up, with immediate effect, a crisis notifications unit for imperiled citizens, who have been advised to contact South Africa security authorities, whenever dangerous situations arise.”
