Nigeria Offers Repatriation Flights From SA Amidst Rising Migration Tensions - Politics - Nairaland
Nairaland Forum › Nairaland General › Politics › Nigeria Offers Repatriation Flights From SA Amidst Rising Migration Tensions (596 Views)
| Nigeria Offers Repatriation Flights From SA Amidst Rising Migration Tensions by RandDigital(op): 10:10am On May 04 |
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUgf-CIyQ8s?si=l7uaNdpoyDfpeaA6 Nigeria is taking steps to facilitate the permanent repatriation of its citizens from South Africa, a move that signals growing alarm over escalating anti-migrant sentiments and a climate that is becoming increasingly hostile for foreign nationals. The announcement follows weeks of mounting tension, with protests targeting foreign nationals and renewed concern over the treatment of undocumented immigrants. Although Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) has maintained there is no accurate estimate of Nigerians living in the country illegally, reports in 2023 suggested that more than 500,000 Nigerians may be undocumented. VIDEO: How many undocumented foreign nationals are in SA? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTYdRJYNmL0?si=cOdB6EhZdqDXFkWt Frank Onyekwelu, president of the Nigerian Citizens Association in South Africa (NICASA), confirmed that the Nigerian Consulate is working closely with the organisation to assist those seeking to return home. “The Nigerian Consulate in conjunction with NICASA has offered a free repatriation flight to any Nigerian who wishes to leave South Africa permanently, and the process is ongoing,” he said, adding that several individuals have already registered. Many Nigerians have long viewed South Africa as a land of opportunity, but that promise is now increasingly overshadowed by fear. Nigeria’s move to repatriate some of its citizens from South Africa comes against a backdrop of escalating tensions, violent unrest and increasingly hostile rhetoric directed at foreign nationals, particularly Nigerians, across parts of the country. In recent weeks, a series of flashpoints has underscored just how volatile the situation has become. In the Eastern Cape, violence erupted in KuGompo after protests over the alleged coronation of a Nigerian traditional leader spiralled into chaos. Vehicles were damaged, buildings set alight and police were forced to intervene. The unrest prompted the Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria to issue a stark warning, urging its citizens to “maintain a low profile at all times”, suspend social gatherings and avoid public demonstrations amid what it described as “palpable tension”. Diplomatic strain has also begun to surface. Last month, Ghana summoned South Africa’s top envoy after a video circulated online showing a Ghanaian man being confronted and asked to produce immigration documents. On the ground, anti-immigration movements have gained momentum. Groups such as March and March have staged protests demanding the removal of foreign nationals from township economies, while Operation Dudula has intensified campaigns targeting foreign-owned businesses, often forcing shop closures and fueling confrontations. The rhetoric has drawn sharp political responses. Addressing supporters during a Workers’ Day rally in Marikana, EFF leader Julius Malema criticised the protests, warning that they risk misdirecting public anger. “Let’s ask a question: after you march and say you don’t want Zimbabweans, Nigerians, and Ghanaians, you close their shops. Why are you then not telling us that you expelled 10 Zimbabweans and were able to give jobs to 10 South Africans,” he said. Meanwhile, inflammatory content circulating on social media has further heightened tensions. In one widely shared video, three Nigerian men are seen stomping on a South African flag while waving their own. In the footage, one of the men declares: “We love our country... leave us alone… stop killing our men.” The video has sparked outrage and added fuel to an already charged environment. Amid the rising tensions, President Cyril Ramaphosa used his recent May Day address to urge calm, calling on citizens to raise concerns about illegal migration through lawful channels rather than resorting to vigilantism. "We did not walk alone into freedom. We were carried by a tide of solidarity from the nations of Africa, among many others," Ramaphosa said. "These countries opened their borders to our liberation fighters. They shared their bread and their homes. They spoke for us when we could not speak for ourselves. The leaders and people of Africa kept our Struggle alive," Ramaphosa said. Onyekwelu admitted that South Africa, like many nations around the world, has real problems with crime, unemployment, border security, and the strain on public resources. “However, it is dangerous and unfair to reduce these complex socio-economic issues to anti-foreigner sentiments or to create the impression that foreign nationals are the primary cause of the country’s problems.”
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| Re: Nigeria Offers Repatriation Flights From SA Amidst Rising Migration Tensions by Richtaiwo(m): 10:14am On May 04 |
Why on earth should Nigeria provide repatriation flights for ungrateful lot? When they departed, they spared no effort in ridiculing and disparaging the country at every turn. Now, even with a complimentary flight, they will still parade a catalogue of absurd and entitled demands. One would not be surprised to hear them clamouring for government cash handouts to resettle or expecting the nation to drain its treasury to indulge their whims. You will see them compare how it is done in US or Russia, as if those ones disparage their countries too. Ingratitude is not merely distasteful, it is a thoroughly disgraceful trait. |
| Re: Nigeria Offers Repatriation Flights From SA Amidst Rising Migration Tensions by EponObi(f): 10:30am On May 04 |
The FG is offering them a way out. They've sat and discussed with the SA govt and have most likely seen that the situation will get worse. Ofc, many of them won't listen to the FG. When all hell break lose, they shouldn't blame the FG or drag Tinubu for anything. Here's the FG doing her part. Should the FG even shift to repatriation mode before your brain tell you to leave. Your hosts said they don't want you, with serious violent warnings, even going to the extent of killing some of you. But you remained there. If you are planning on going to SA for vacation, business, or whatever, you better skip. Those lazy SA guys no longer listen to Julius Malema, after telling them black foreigners are not their problem; that they themselves are lazy and don't work. If you enter SA and they knack you wetin no good, you go use am hold body like that ni ooo. That's if there's anything left of your body. |
| Re: Nigeria Offers Repatriation Flights From SA Amidst Rising Migration Tensions by RandDigital(op): 11:33am On May 04 |
EponObi:And you wonder why South Africans don't like you - full of insults. As if Nigeria is the most developed country in all of Africa and whole wide world coz apparently everyone else is "lazy". |
| Re: Nigeria Offers Repatriation Flights From SA Amidst Rising Migration Tensions by EponObi(f): 11:58am On May 04 |
RandDigital:Direct your complaint to Julius Malema. Thank you for your attention on this matter. |
| Re: Nigeria Offers Repatriation Flights From SA Amidst Rising Migration Tensions by RandDigital(op): 12:11pm On May 04 |
EponObi:Julius Malema who's bleeding votes🇳🇬👎🏽? Who else is your spokesperson in SA, I wanna direct the matter to them instead. Kindly assist, dear. |
| Re: Nigeria Offers Repatriation Flights From SA Amidst Rising Migration Tensions by EponObi(f): 12:15pm On May 04 |
RandDigital:He can leak votes from SA to the Strait of Hormuz. Who cares? He spoke and I quoted him. Again, thank you for your attention on this matter. |
| Re: Nigeria Offers Repatriation Flights From SA Amidst Rising Migration Tensions by RandDigital(op): 12:24pm On May 04 |
EponObi:You should care because soon you won't have a spokesperson whose insults you can quote. Shalom, happy visa hunting for the rest of your day. |
| Re: Nigeria Offers Repatriation Flights From SA Amidst Rising Migration Tensions by helinues: 12:45pm On May 04 |
The op of this thread, remember what I always tell you about you people being too emotional, it sounded like insult then but hope it's not sounding the same as you can see what others are saying about the South Africans Imagine a South African woman claiming it was the foreigners that did not allow her to give birth, how irresponsible can someone be |
| Re: Nigeria Offers Repatriation Flights From SA Amidst Rising Migration Tensions by helinues: 12:47pm On May 04 |
If not because of Laziness, how many Nigerians are working with South Africa companies or South Africa business owners that they are claiming Nigerians are taking their jobs. Majority of Nigerians in South Africa are hustlers who make their money by themselves, how then can they take your job South Africa as a country is indebted to so many financial institutions, was that also caused by the foreigners? What precisely did your government do with the funds that the South Africans couldn't fee the effects? |
| Re: Nigeria Offers Repatriation Flights From SA Amidst Rising Migration Tensions by IronGalaxy: 12:56pm On May 04 |
RandDigital:Their obsession with the word "lazy" is mind-boggling..its as if is the first English word they learn at school |
| Re: Nigeria Offers Repatriation Flights From SA Amidst Rising Migration Tensions by helinues: 12:59pm On May 04 |
IronGalaxy:Which productive people protest on Monday claiming some imaginary foreigners are taking their jobs? |
| Re: Nigeria Offers Repatriation Flights From SA Amidst Rising Migration Tensions by IronGalaxy: 1:02pm On May 04 |
helinues:Yet all metrics point out South Africans being more productive than you, ever thought about that? Bigger GDP Bigger GDP per capita Biggest black middle class in Africa.. The earliest waking time in the world The entrepreneurial headquarters of the continent Keep calling us "lazy" nothing on the ground supports that myth.. |
| Re: Nigeria Offers Repatriation Flights From SA Amidst Rising Migration Tensions by RandDigital(op): 1:05pm On May 04 |
IronGalaxy:It's mind boggling. Same as with this helinues who wants to claim Nigerians don't protest on weekdays because they're the most productive people on earth and there are no unemployed people in japageria. |
| Re: Nigeria Offers Repatriation Flights From SA Amidst Rising Migration Tensions by IronGalaxy: 1:09pm On May 04 |
RandDigital:Nigerians just have bg mouths, they lack self awareness.. people protest anytime of day around the world. |
| Re: Nigeria Offers Repatriation Flights From SA Amidst Rising Migration Tensions by helinues: 1:10pm On May 04 |
IronGalaxy:Those are the old glory which I have been talking about..All what you listed can't be really there , working yet some lazy ass still one to be blaming others for their own woes |
| Re: Nigeria Offers Repatriation Flights From SA Amidst Rising Migration Tensions by helinues: 1:11pm On May 04 |
RandDigital:The protest in Nigeria, what have they always been about? Are they about foreigners should leave our country because they are taking our jobs? |
| Re: Nigeria Offers Repatriation Flights From SA Amidst Rising Migration Tensions by IronGalaxy: 1:14pm On May 04 |
helinues:hahaha.. do you know what old glory means right? |
| Re: Nigeria Offers Repatriation Flights From SA Amidst Rising Migration Tensions by helinues: 1:15pm On May 04 |
IronGalaxy:Yes , the old glory that was laid by the whites which the blacks couldn't build on I had it before is no longer a property my friend |
| Re: Nigeria Offers Repatriation Flights From SA Amidst Rising Migration Tensions by IronGalaxy: 1:17pm On May 04 |
helinues:Do you actually understand what is meant by "taking our jobs"? Consider this, a struggling South African earns R30 per hour, now comes an illegal from Malawi willing to work for R5 for the same hour, effectively pricing out the South African. This is what it means Sometimes you people need to think logically as not rush to insult and apportion blame, when you have little understanding.. |
| Re: Nigeria Offers Repatriation Flights From SA Amidst Rising Migration Tensions by helinues: 1:20pm On May 04 |
IronGalaxy:That's the point you guys are missing. You claimed you have high GDP, GDP per Capita yet struggling about basic jobs. Can you see the flops in you guys arguments? If I tell you the genesis of South Africa recent problem, trust me, you wouldn't believe it. It's something not been discussed by the South Africans or people generally |
| Re: Nigeria Offers Repatriation Flights From SA Amidst Rising Migration Tensions by RandDigital(op): 1:23pm On May 04 |
helinues:Do you have an illegal migration crisis similar to South Africa's? AU-IOM reports show SA hosts 20% of Africa's migrants, followed by CIV, Uganda and Ethiopia. So you can't compare SA to Nigeria. Please rest your mouth and fingers on this matter. |
| Re: Nigeria Offers Repatriation Flights From SA Amidst Rising Migration Tensions by helinues: 1:26pm On May 04 |
RandDigital:Again, that's what you South Africans don't know. The Niger, Chad even Benin people have been flocking Nigeria for decades which the government haven't considered any solutions to them apart from partial border closure. Somehow, we always see them as part of us What you are experiencing is not up to 30% of the immigration crisis in Nigeria Do you have an idea about how many illegal Chinese, India, Lebanese in Nigeria? hahah they are even controlling some natural resources |
| Re: Nigeria Offers Repatriation Flights From SA Amidst Rising Migration Tensions by KingCold: 1:26pm On May 04 |
helinues:its not a claim but fact.. Compare Nigeria to SA South Africa has a unemployment problem granted, but also has a higher GDP, GDP per capita and higher income rates than Nigeria These thing can co- exist at rhe same time |
| Re: Nigeria Offers Repatriation Flights From SA Amidst Rising Migration Tensions by KingCold: 1:27pm On May 04 |
helinues:You have no clue what we are experiencing |
| Re: Nigeria Offers Repatriation Flights From SA Amidst Rising Migration Tensions by helinues: 1:28pm On May 04 |
KingCold:It can't except if you are manipulating figures. How did same South Africa indebted to so many financial institutions that currently, they can't borrow anyhow? |
| Re: Nigeria Offers Repatriation Flights From SA Amidst Rising Migration Tensions by KingCold: 1:29pm On May 04 |
helinues:What does SA having the biggest black middle class in Africa has to do with white people? Or being the earliest waking time? How are these things "old glory"? Lol |
| Re: Nigeria Offers Repatriation Flights From SA Amidst Rising Migration Tensions by helinues: 1:29pm On May 04 |
KingCold:I have been to your country before, so at least I have some ideas. Now, take the way Nigerians have been prosecuted in South Africa for some years now, but the Ghanaians couldn't take 10% of it. Exactly the issue we are facing in Nigeria but we are just stubborn people which partying always get us carried away from our problems |
| Re: Nigeria Offers Repatriation Flights From SA Amidst Rising Migration Tensions by KingCold: 1:30pm On May 04 |
helinues:what exactly are you disputing here because I doubt you also know? |
| Re: Nigeria Offers Repatriation Flights From SA Amidst Rising Migration Tensions by helinues: 1:30pm On May 04 |
KingCold:Tell me what major achievements the blacks have achieved since they have been governing the country. Tell us their major projects |
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