Nigeria Requires Citizens to Self-Fund Voluntary Repatriation from South Africa Amid Xenophobic Attacks

He described two groups among those interested: one with intact papers who feel the country is unsafe, and another with travel document or resident permit violations seeking facilitation to avoid law enforcement.

AllAfrica reported that Nigerians expressing interest are motivated by threats to their lives or fear of arrest by South African authorities. Ebienfa highlighted that the return hinges on individuals' financial capacity, as they must purchase their own flight tickets.

In the recent past, similar repatriations have been sponsored by Nigerian airline owners, particularly Allen Onyema, CEO of Air Peace.

The effort comes amid heightened tensions, with two Nigerians killed last month by personnel of the South African National Defence Force in Port Elizabeth. One victim, Ekpenyong Andrew, was arrested, and his corpse was later discovered in the Booysens area of Pretoria. The other, Amaramiro Emmanuel, died from injuries sustained in an attack by security personnel.

These incidents prompted Foreign Affairs Minister Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu to summon the South African acting high commissioner. During the meeting, Nigeria expressed displeasure at the maltreatment of its citizens and condemned the anti-African immigrants' aggression in South Africa.

AllAfrica reported that Nigeria demanded the South African government take a proactive approach to addressing the crisis.

Ebienfa reiterated that the repatriation remains voluntary, with the government stepping in only to facilitate and coordinate. He stressed that actualization requires participants to have flight tickets ready. The process will proceed based on individuals' ability to fund their trips, without state provision of transportation.

AllAfrica reported that the Nigerian government will not fund the returns, as it views the decisions as personal. Ebienfa noted that while past efforts involved airline sponsorships, this instance places the burden on the citizens themselves. The ministry continues to monitor the situation as protests persist in South Africa.