Flights scheduled to begin repatriating Nigerians on Monday, June 8, have been delayed due to joint document checks and screening processes being conducted in collaboration with South African authorities.
The verification exercise, which began last Thursday and involved over 1,000 Nigerians, was initially expected to conclude on Saturday, June 13, in time for the planned departures. Speaking to reporters at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, Foreign Affairs Minister Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu confirmed that preparations are still underway for those opting to return home.
When asked whether Nigeria might respond by restricting certain privileges for South Africans living in the country, Minister Odumegwu-Ojukwu said the option remains under consideration. “This is a decision that must be taken at the highest level of government, but it is not off the table,” she stated.
The minister emphasized Nigeria’s long-standing support for South Africa, noting the country’s contributions to the anti-apartheid struggle. “Nigeria sacrificed quite a lot—funds, resources, educational opportunities for South African students. My generation protested, carried placards, and sometimes even got arrested for this cause. Nigeria is a serious frontline state, and Nigerians are rightly concerned about how they have been treated. This is not about asking other migrants to leave—only black migrants are being targeted.”
As tensions rise, the Federal Government continues to monitor the situation closely while finalizing arrangements for the safe return of its citizens who wish to leave the country.
0 Comments
DISCLAIMER
The views and opinions expressed on this platform as comments were freely made by each person under his or her own volition or responsibility and were neither suggested nor dictated by the owners of News PLATFORM or any of their contracted staff. So we take no liability whatsoever for such comments.
Please take note!