Eighty-three Nigerians have arrived home from South Africa, sharing accounts of armed robbery, police raids, and daily hardship, as pressure mounts on undocumented migrants ahead of a September 30 deadline set by the anti-migration group March for March. The group landed in Nigeria aboard a South African Airways flight from Johannesburg. Unlike the previous five batches of evacuees flown home under the Nigerian government's voluntary repatriation programme, the tickets for this flight were paid for by private individuals.
Returnees Recount Years of Fear
Among those who arrived was a woman who said she had lived in South Africa for 13 years, earning a living by selling rice on the streets. She told officials from the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (Nidcom) that daytime police raids were a constant threat, but that nights brought an even greater danger. "For night, some people go come rob, I no fit remember how many times dem rob me, dem go put gun for my head," she said. A man who also spoke after landing described the conditions in South Africa as brutal, saying he had been forced to struggle every day simply to survive.
Details of the Arrival
The batch comprised 58 adults, 23 children, and 2 infants. The federal ministry of foreign affairs confirmed that two officials from Nigeria's Consulate-General in South Africa accompanied the returnees, and that the travellers were handed over to government agencies for documentation and profiling before being reunited with their families, according to the BBC. Ministry officials described the private funding of this latest batch as a reflection of "generous support" from individuals who wanted to ensure the safe return of compatriots.
What Happens to Nigerians Still in South Africa
Nigeria's government completed five official evacuation batches earlier this year, bringing more than 1,500 Nigerians home at public expense. That formal programme ended in July 2026 and covered only those who had registered to leave. The Foreign Ministry acknowledged that it cannot compel Nigerians to leave South Africa, and officials have not given a clear answer on whether the government will organise additional flights before the September 30 deadline. South Africa has seen repeated protests this year demanding tighter immigration controls. Although the South African government has condemned attacks on migrants, reported incidents continue to rise. South African authorities say they have already removed more than 80,000 undocumented migrants from the country as part of ongoing enforcement measures. With the March for March group signalling another protest and thousands of Nigerians still in South Africa, the question of what the Nigerian government will do next remains unanswered.
