Nigeria is organising emergency repatriation flights for citizens living in South Africa, after the foreign ministry on Monday warned Pretoria it was not doing enough to curb anti-immigrant threats and harassment.
South Africa, the continent’s most industrialised nation, has seen repeated waves of xenophobic and anti-migrant protests over the years, including renewed violence in recent weeks that has targeted mostly people of African origin.
The country’s top diplomat in Abuja was summoned by the Nigerian foreign ministry on Monday, following a similar move by Ghana last month, “for discussions on documented instances of mistreatment of Nigerian citizens and attacks on their businesses”.
“We’ve seen cases whereby Nigerians have been threatened,” foreign ministry spokesman Kimiebi Ebienfa told reporters after the meeting.
The South African government has denounced the attacks, though Ebienfa said “if those that are carrying out the attacks are not punished, are not questioned, are not stopped – indirectly you’re allowing them to do whatever they are doing.”
So far, some 130 Nigerians have indicated they want to return home, Ebienfa said, in a group that includes both legal residents of South Africa who “felt the country is not safe for them” as well as undocumented immigrants.
“This figure is expected to rise,” Nigerian Foreign Minister Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu said in a statement on Sunday, adding that “Nigerian lives and businesses in SA must not continue to be put at risk.”
Odumegwu-Ojukwu also said at least two Nigerians, Amamiro Chidiebere Emmanuel and Nnaemeka Matthew Andrew, died in two separate incidents involving South African security personnel last month.
Ebienfa called for “impartial” investigations into their deaths.
Elections approaching
South Africa’s Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola said he and Odumegwu-Ojukwu agreed in talks on Monday to deepen cooperation.
“We reflected on the challenges posed by irregular migration and committed to working to address the root causes, find common and sustainable solutions to this shared concern,” he said in a statement.
The Nigerian foreign minister alleged that a “repetitive wave” of a “xenophobic pattern” flares up “especially prior to elections in South Africa, and anti-foreigner opposition parties leverage this situation to garner votes”.
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South Africa holds municipal elections on 4 November.
The country’s acting police minister last week condemned anti-immigrant violence, saying attacks on foreign nationals were “unlawful” and violated the constitutional values of dignity and equality.
“Acts of xenophobia, violence, looting or intimidation will not be tolerated under any circumstances,” Firoz Cachalia said.
According to the statistics agency, some 3 million foreigners, or 5,1% of the population, live in the country.
More than 63% come from countries in the 16-member Southern African Development Community (SADC) bloc.
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