Nigeria’s consulate in South Africa, working with a Nigerian community group, has offered free repatriation flights to citizens willing to return home as violence and anti-foreigner unrest intensify in parts of the country.
The President of the Nigerian Citizens Association in South Africa (NICASA), Frank Onyekwelu, said many Nigerians had already expressed interest in leaving amid growing fears and business disruptions.
“The Nigerian Consulate in conjunction with NICASA has offered a free repatriation flight to any Nigerian who wishes to leave South Africa permanently,” Onyekwelu said, adding that the process was ongoing.
The initiative comes as Nigerians report increasing insecurity, with many traders shutting down businesses and staying indoors due to fear of attacks.
Violent protests targeting foreign nationals have erupted in cities including Pretoria, Johannesburg, Durban, East London and parts of KwaZulu-Natal. The unrest has included looting, property damage and assaults, according to residents and diaspora groups.
Authorities say the protests are being driven in part by local activist movements demanding stricter immigration enforcement and the removal of undocumented migrants.
Two Nigerians were killed in separate incidents linked to the unrest, according to the Nigerian Consulate General in Johannesburg.
Consul-General Ninikanwa Okey-Uche said one victim, Amaramiro Emmanuel, died after an alleged assault involving members of the South African National Defence Force on April 20. Another, Ekpenyong Andrew, was found dead after an incident involving metro police in Pretoria.
Videos circulating on social media show groups marching through streets chanting anti-foreigner slogans and confronting foreign-owned shops.
In one widely shared clip, a Nigerian trader was ordered to leave South Africa despite explaining he had lived and worked in the country for years.
Nigerian business owners say they have suffered significant losses, with shops and supermarkets looted or vandalized during the unrest.
“We are living in fear. No one dares open their shop,” said one Nigerian trader in Johannesburg who requested anonymity for safety reasons.
Another business owner, Yemisi Adewale, said she narrowly escaped an attack while shopping for supplies.
“They are targeting Nigerians and Ghanaians. Once they identify you as a foreigner, they attack, loot and destroy your goods,” she said.
Despite the violence, some diaspora leaders say the situation remains localized, affecting mainly informal settlements and small-scale traders.
Police in South Africa have condemned attacks on foreign nationals, calling them unlawful and inconsistent with the country’s constitutional values.
The Nigerian government says it is monitoring the situation, with discussions ongoing between its foreign ministry and South African authorities.
