Prosper Okoye
Nigeria has challenged South Africa’s justification for the removal of foreign nationals, arguing that the experiences of many Nigerians forced to return home point to xenophobia rather than purely economic or immigration concerns.
The concerns were raised on Tuesday during a meeting of Nigeria’s Technical Working Group on Migration and Development, where migration experts and government officials discussed the reintegration of Nigerians returning from South Africa.
Executive Director of the Patriotic Citizens Initiative (PCI), Osita Osemene, dismissed claims that unemployment and pressure on public services were solely responsible for the actions taken against foreign nationals.
“I don’t believe that because their action is highly xenophobic,” Osemene said.
According to him, many of the affected Nigerians had spent years building their lives in South Africa, with some residing in the country for over a decade, marrying South African citizens and establishing businesses that created jobs for locals.
“Some of them have spent 15 years in South Africa, some 10 years, some are married to South Africans and they were all dislodged from South Africa and they are back to Nigeria, starting from square one,” he said.
Osemene cited the case of a Nigerian businessman whose enterprise reportedly employed more than 25 South Africans but who was still compelled to leave the country.
South African authorities have maintained that immigration enforcement operations are intended to curb undocumented migration and ensure compliance with existing immigration laws amid growing domestic concerns over unemployment and strained public services.
Discrimination against migrants
However, Osemene argued that testimonies from returnees suggest a pattern of discrimination against African migrants, adding that many of those returning to Nigeria are struggling to rebuild their lives after years abroad.
“The integration is a process. They have to accept their situation and look at how they can restart their lives again,” he said.
Meanwhile, the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI) said the Nigerian government was taking steps to ensure the safe return and reintegration of affected citizens.
Director of Migrant Affairs at the Commission, Ambassador Catherine Odida, disclosed that more than 1,000 Nigerians are expected to return from South Africa under a coordinated voluntary return programme.
“What we are doing here is ensuring they are safely returned and properly reintegrated,” she said.
Odida explained that returnees receive transportation assistance to their home communities as well as support packages designed to help them re-establish their livelihoods.
She added that government agencies are also providing psychosocial support to facilitate their reintegration into society.
The Director rejected reports suggesting that some returnees had been abandoned by authorities. “As we speak, nobody has been abandoned,” she stated.
According to her, about 1,600 Nigerians registered for the programme, with the return process being carried out in phases due to logistical considerations.
Odida noted that any diplomatic issues arising from the returns fall within the mandate of Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The debate comes amid recurring tensions over the treatment of African migrants in South Africa, where periodic crackdowns on undocumented foreigners have drawn criticism from human rights groups and affected countries across the continent.
