Nigerians Return Home After Hardship in South Africa

A Nigerian returnee from South Africa, Milly Abuh, has shared how constant discrimination against her family, especially her children, made her go back to Nigeria after 22 years in South Africa.

Ms Abuh spoke to PREMIUM TIMES on Thursday after landing at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (Cargo Terminal), Lagos. She was on a special Air Peace flight that brought home the first group of 258 Nigerians evacuated from South Africa.

She worked as a teacher in South Africa and tried to fit in by learning and speaking several local languages. Still, she and her family faced discrimination because they were Nigerians.

“I have been in South Africa since 2004 and I am happy to be back home. Most kids experience discrimination. Back then when I was in school, they used to call me different names and tell me to go back to my country.

“One of the things that made me decide to come back home is because of my kids, who are also facing the same thing. It’s even the teachers that actually influence this kind of behaviour because my child came home and told me that the teacher said we should stay away from Nigerians because they are kidnappers and killers. Many people also criticise my children because we are foreigners.

“Being here is actually a big relief for me and my children because I want to have a fresh start and see where life takes me,” she stated.

Ms Abuh also revealed that she lost her spa business in South Africa because the authorities took over the business as she did not have the right permit.

Other returnees who spoke with PREMIUM TIMES said they lost their properties and means of livelihood due to the harsh conditions they faced in South Africa.

They claimed they applied for residence permits over three years ago and paid the necessary fees, but they did not get approval or any formal rejection from South African authorities.

Regarding the returnees’ experiences, Nigeria’s Acting High Commissioner to South Africa, Alexander Ajayi, called their stories traumatic but said they felt relieved to be back home.

“I want to start by thanking the Almighty God for bringing us this far and for bringing us here safely,” Mr Ajayi said.

“The people you see here today are our fellow Nigerians who have decided to come back home to escape the irresponsible violence that has been taking place in South Africa. They are in good spirits and have been looking forward to returning home since we started this process.”

Mr Ajayi said the 258 returnees are the first group in the ongoing repatriation effort and praised President Bola Tinubu for personally leading the initiative.

He explained that soon after the attacks started, the president set up direct communication between the Presidency, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria to monitor the situation and coordinate the government's response.

“From the very day the crisis started, Mr President established what we called a hotline communication between himself, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the mission in South Africa. Every day, he sought updates on developments and possible actions,” he said.

Mr Ajayi added that the Presidency created a crisis monitoring unit to keep track of events across South Africa’s nine provinces, where anti-immigrant protests have spread in recent weeks.

He also mentioned that President Tinubu directed in April that all Nigerians willing to return home should be evacuated, which led to the repatriation exercise starting with Thursday’s flight.

The minister said Nigeria will keep diplomatic discussions with South Africa to stop attacks against Nigerians from happening again.

He explained that both countries already have systems in place, including the Nigeria-South Africa Binational Commission and an Early Warning Mechanism set up through a memorandum of understanding. These aim to handle emerging tensions and protect their citizens' interests.

He noted that the government plans to strengthen these frameworks for quicker and more proactive responses to future issues.

Mr Enikanolaiye also stressed that migration should not be treated as a crime, pointing out that many Nigerians living legally in South Africa contribute significantly to the country’s economy.

He assured Nigerians abroad that the Federal Government will continue to improve consular services and urged citizens to follow the laws of their host countries.