Nigeria has begun repatriating citizens from South Africa, sending 268 nationals on a flight that landed in Lagos after leaving Johannesburg Thursday morning.
The move is part of a larger repatriation drive that has already seen around 1,000 Nigerians register with the consulate to return home amid rising anti‑migrant sentiment.
Anti‑migrant protests have surged in major South African cities, fueled by a 30% unemployment rate and xenophobic attacks on foreign residents.
Justin, a Nigerian who had lived in South Africa since 1998, said he was leaving because ‘the conditions we get here are intolerable’ and that he feared for his safety after being targeted in a taxi.
While Nigerian officials claim migrants account for less than 10% of the population, local authorities are tightening immigration checks and announcing new measures to curb illegal migration ahead of the November local‑government elections.
