ABUJA — Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Ojukwu, yesterday expressed the federal government’s disappointment with the manner South African authorities and security agencies have handled the ongoing harassment and intimidation of Nigerians in the country.
This is even as the government has launched a crisis response to evacuate Nigerians from South Africa after a wave of attacks and property looting that left them”imperiled” and “in distress.”
It also yesterday postponed the evacuation of 270 Nigerians from South Africa to tomorrow, citing unforeseen logistical challenges. Recall that the evacuation had earlier been slated to begin yesterday.
Speaking to State House correspondents, the minister rejected claims by some South African authorities that most affected Nigerians were illegal migrants.
Asked whether those seeking repatriation were largely undocumented migrants as claimed by South African authorities, Ojukwu said: “To say that Nigerians who are in South Africa doing legitimate business are illegal migrants is absolutely untrue.”
On the position of the Nigerian government, she said: “Nigeria is not happy because Nigeria has sacrificed much for the South African struggle for independence.
“Nigeria sacrificed quite a lot, committed funds, committed resources to aid South Africa. In schools, seats were reserved for South African students. My own generation carried placards; we demonstrated in front of South African assets.
“Sometimes we even got arrested for doing this. Nigeria is a serious frontline state, and Nigerians are not happy about how they have been treated. They are not asking other migrants to leave; they’re only asking black migrants to leave.”
Asked whether Nigeria might retaliate by restricting privileges for South Africans in Nigeria, Ambassador Ojukwu did not rule out punitive responses.
She said: “Well, that is a situation that we are considering. This is up to our legislature. This is a decision that has to be taken at the highest level of government, but it’s not off the table.”
On why the repatriation of Nigerians from South Africa slated for Monday did not take place, she said what was supposed to be concluded were documentation formalities.
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