The Federal Government has commenced arrangements to evacuate Nigerians willing to return home from South Africa following renewed anti-foreigner protests and rising tensions in parts of that country.

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mrs. Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, disclosed this, yesterday, after a telephone discussion with South Africa’s Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Mr. Ronald Lamola, over recent demonstrations and growing hostility against migrants, especially in Durban.

According to Odumegwu-Ojukwu, the South African minister expressed reservations about Nigeria’s evacuation plans, but she insisted that the Nigerian government cannot ignore the continued harassment and alleged extra-judicial killings of its citizens living in South Africa.

She said: “I maintained that our government cannot stand by and watch the systematic harassment and humiliation of our nationals resident in SA, as well as the extra-judicial killings of our people, and that the evacuation of our citizens who want to return home remains our government’s priority at this time.”

The minister urged South African authorities to treat reported killings of Nigerians with greater urgency, stressing that perpetrators must face immediate sanctions.

She explained that although the protest held in Durban on Wednesday did not degenerate into violence due to the heavy deployment of security personnel, Nigerians in the area were advised by the Nigerian Mission to shut their businesses and stay indoors for safety reasons.

‘Inflammatory rhetoric, hostile actions’

Odumegwu-Ojukwu also expressed concerns over what she described as inflammatory rhetoric and hostile actions by anti-foreigner groups in South Africa, warning that the situation posed serious risks to the lives and property of Nigerians and other African migrants.

She said Nigerians in South Africa had continued to show restraint despite mounting provocation, adding that persistent attacks and hostility could also affect South African businesses and interests in Nigeria.

The minister further revealed that Nigerian families had reported incidents of bullying involving Nigerian children and children born to Nigerian and South African parents, commonly referred to as “Sougerians.”