Over 1,000 Nigerians may be evacuated as Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu condemns attacks and accuses South African authorities of failing to act.
The Federal Government has said it is considering retaliatory measures against South Africa following a fresh wave of xenophobic attacks targeting Nigerians, as plans intensify to evacuate more than 1,000 affected citizens.
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, disclosed this while speaking to journalists at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Monday.
According to the minister, the government is reviewing its options over what she described as the persistent harassment, attacks and displacement of Nigerians living in South Africa.
“That is a situation that we are considering,” she said, adding that Nigeria remains unhappy over the treatment of its citizens despite the country’s historic support for South Africa during the anti-apartheid struggle.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu rejected claims that many Nigerians seeking evacuation were illegal migrants, insisting that many victims are legitimate business owners whose shops have allegedly been looted or set ablaze.
She also accused South African authorities of failing to respond strongly enough to the attacks, saying affected Nigerians continue to face intimidation, loss of property and disruption to their daily lives.
The minister revealed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed that a presidential aircraft be deployed to evacuate Nigerians willing to return home.
She said the repatriation process is ongoing, with Nigerian and South African authorities carrying out documentation and security screening for prospective returnees.
According to her, the number of Nigerians requesting evacuation continues to rise, while crisis response units have been established at Nigeria’s diplomatic missions in South Africa to coordinate support for affected citizens.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu added that the Federal Government is working with the National Emergency Management Agency and other agencies to ensure returning Nigerians receive rehabilitation and reintegration support upon arrival.