June 14, (THEWILL) — The Federal Government’s successful evacuation of the first batch of 268 Nigerians from South Africa, pending the documentation of over 700 others, has escalated tension between both countries following disagreement over the handling, categorisation and documentation of the evacuees. A second flight, which will transport the remaining individuals from the group of 586 processed for repatriation, is scheduled to depart on Monday, 15 June 2026.
Giving a hint of the impending diplomatic face-off between both countries, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Sola Enikanolaiye, said Nigeria would activate all statutes and agreements between them and within the African Union to put a stop to similar treatment of Nigerians in the future.
Lamenting the recurring attacks on Nigerians and on other African nationals, Enikanolaiye said South Africa was undermining the continent’s solidarity and brotherhood and warned that the time was ripe to take action against the country’s leadership for its complicity.
He said on national television at the weekend that, “When you have thug leaders literally encouraging violence against other nationalities, that is totally unacceptable. We will be reminding them of their responsibility in this regard. We are going to do this at all levels of government, at our own level, at our level of officials, at the level of even Mr President, to be sure that Nigerians are not subjected to this kind of harassment going forward. We have also indicated that going forward to prevent this, we may have to escalate it to the African Union and get a more continental response to this, which is becoming an African challenge.” The strained relationship was preceded by a labelling of the evacuees by the South African authorities before their departure on Thursday from OR Tambo International Airport.
The South African authorities had claimed that all the 268 Nigerians cleared for repatriation were undocumented and were residing illegally in the country and slammed a five-year travel ban on them. “The 268 departing first were all undocumented. None of the 268 Nigerian nationals who arrived at OR Tambo International Airport for repatriation on Wednesday is in South Africa legally. Not a single person of the 268 is legal,” South Africa’s Head of Immigration Enforcement, Stephen van Neel, said.
Nigeria’s acting High Commissioner to Pretoria, Ambassador Temitope Ajayi, however, denied van Neel’s claim. Speaking at the reception for the returnees in Lagos, he said the label was false and misleading. “Many of these people you are seeing here, Minister, are not undocumented persons. Many of them became undocumented because of systemic failures of the South African Home Service. Some have submitted requests for the extension of their resident permits for years. It takes two years, three years, five years; some are still lying down there. So, in the process, they were caught up in this.” He described the South African Home Affairs as a transactional section where backlogs and delays had left legitimate applicants stranded.
“I think the Nigerian government is yet to understand the depth of this problem, there will be more Xenophobic attacks because many South Africans relate with Nigerians transactionally,” Professor Akinterinwa told THEWILL. The former Director General of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, NIIA, said that the historical context that ought to mediate the Nigerian-South African relationship is regrettably lacking.
In his view, Professor of Political Science at the Lagos State University, Sylvester Odion-Akhaine, said the problem is deep-rooted and would require commitment on the part of the South African Government to stop.
He told THEWILL that the xenophobic attacks on non-South Africans, especially blacks from other African countries, are awful.
“But it is deeply rooted in Apartheid history and mismanaged by post-Apartheid leadership. South African blacks were displaced by the white minority, beginning with the first contact in 1562. Theirs has been a life of violence. The inability of the post-Apartheid leadership to fix the economy and re-orientate them is what has resulted in the transferred aggression. Don’t forget there was black-on-black violence under Apartheid, “ he said, adding, “The irresponsibility of the South African leadership is partly responsible. The Thabo Mbeki administration had no solution, and the Ramaphosa administration has equally no solutions to the economic crisis in South Africa. Xenophobic attacks act as useful and convenient distractions from the government’s failure to address the impoverishment of its people.”
Adding her voice to the position of Enikanolaiye, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, NiDCOM, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, expressed dissatisfaction over the situation, adding that Nigeria has tolerated enough of the hostile treatment of Nigerians by South Africans.
She said: “It is terrible, disappointing and painful. But honestly, enough is enough. Enough really has to be enough. Their government is looking the other way. I think that is the sad part. Security is not arresting anybody.”
The special evacuation flight, operated by West and Central Africa’s largest airline, departed Johannesburg’s O.R. Tambo International Airport aboard Air Peace’s Boeing 777 aircraft, registration number 5N-BVE, and arrived safely at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, at exactly 10:25 a.m on Thursday, with another batch expected on Monday.
The aircraft subsequently docked at the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) Cargo Terminal, where scenes of relief, gratitude, and emotion unfolded as the returnees stepped onto Nigerian soil after fleeing insecurity and hostility in South Africa.
The arrival was witnessed by top government officials and stakeholders, including the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Enikanolaiye; the NiDCOM Chairman, Dabiri-Erewa; and the Chief Commercial Officer of Air Peace, Mr Nowel Ngala, alongside representatives of relevant government and security agencies.
Speaking shortly after receiving the evacuees, Enikanolaiye commended Air Peace for once again responding to the nation’s call during a critical period and assisting the government in protecting Nigerians abroad.
Enikanolaiye further praised all agencies and stakeholders involved in coordinating the operation, describing the exercise as a successful demonstration of effective collaboration between government institutions and the private sector.
Dabiri-Erewa applauded the collaborative efforts of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, NiDCOM, the Nigerian Mission in South Africa, and Air Peace, noting that their collective intervention made the successful repatriation possible.
She reassured Nigerians in the diaspora that their welfare would continue to receive the attention of the government and that mechanisms remained in place to provide assistance whenever circumstances required. For Air Peace, the mission represented yet another chapter in the airline’s growing legacy of humanitarian service and national intervention.
Speaking on behalf of the airline, the Chief Commercial Officer, Mr Nowel Ngala, described the circumstances that necessitated the evacuation as unfortunate and deeply concerning.
He reiterated the airline’s commitment to supporting humanitarian causes and national interests, noting that the evacuation aligned with the vision and philosophy of Air Peace Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Dr Allen Ifechukwu Onyema, CON. He affirmed that the airline remains prepared to support the Federal Government in future humanitarian operations and emergency evacuations involving Nigerian citizens.
Many of the evacuees were visibly emotional upon arrival, expressing gratitude to both the Federal Government and Air Peace for facilitating their return and providing a lifeline amid uncertainty.
Meanwhile, states like Imo have donated money and materials to assist the returnees from the state to start life with less stress. Many others are likely to follow suit in the days ahead. Also, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr. Bernard Doro, has called on Nigerians, corporate organisations, state governments, faith-based institutions, community leaders, and development partners to support the reintegration of returnees. He said the returnees require collective support to rebuild their lives and livelihoods.
Felix Ifijeh is a journalist with years of professional reporting experience. Known for his keen news sense, compelling storytelling and commitment to accurate, impactful reporting, he has built a reputation for turning leads into clear, engaging, and well-structured reports that resonate with readers. His work reflects deep newsroom experience and a commitment to accurate, impactful journalism.
