Foreign affairs minister Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu says the federal government is set to evacuate Nigerians who wish to return home from South Africa.

The minister announced this in a post on a verified Facebook page on Thursday, saying the decision followed her phone conversation with her South African counterpart, Ronald Lamola.

She said Mr Lamola expressed concern and misgivings concerning the Nigerian government’s plans to evacuate its citizens desirous of leaving South Africa due to recent xenophobic attacks.

According to her, Mr Lamola also expressed concern about anti-foreigner sentiment and anti-migrant protests in South Africa, with the latest violence occurring in Durban on May 6.

Ms Odumegwu-Ojukwu said, “I maintained that government cannot stand by and watch the systematic harassment and humiliation of our nationals resident in South Africa.

“More so, the extra-judicial killings of our people, and the evacuation of our citizens who want to return home, remain our government’s priority at this time.

“I also highlighted the need for their police and justice systems to take the cases on the ground of extra-judicial  killings of Nigerians in South Africa  more seriously, and there should be clear and immediate consequences for such acts.”

According to her, Wednesday’s protests in Durban did not record acts of violence, as there was a heavy security presence.

However, the Nigerian Mission in the country advised Nigerians to close their shops and businesses and to stay largely indoors.

She explained that the discussions centred on the violent and indiscriminate rhetoric and actions of South Africa’s anti-foreigner political parties.

The minister said that these had put the lives and property of Nigerians and other foreign nationals at risk. She stressed that such acts, conversely, endangered the safety of South African interests in Nigeria.

Ms Odumegwu-Ojukwu said that Nigerians had exercised and continued to demonstrate commendable restraint in response to the crisis.

“Nigerian children and children born of both Nigerian and South African parents, referred to as ‘Sougerians’, are being wrongfully bullied in schools, and taunted to return to their country.

“This is reprehensible and capable of causing trauma to young minds, for whom such incidents may remain etched in memory,” she said.

Mr Lamola said that the South African authorities recognised they have a responsibility to protect such innocent children, and they are doing their utmost through education supervisory bodies, to discourage bad practices.

The minister noted that President Cyril Ramaphosa had condemned the prevailing state of affairs in the country. She stated that what was worrisome to Nigerians was the demand that all foreigners should leave South Africa.

“It appears to be targeted only toward black Africans, which makes one wonder whether what is happening should not be more accurately defined as  ‘Afriphobia’ rather than  xenophobia.

“President Bola Tinubu has directed the Nigerian Missions in South Africa to set up, with immediate effect, a crisis notifications unit for imperilled citizens, who have been advised to contact South African security authorities whenever dangerous situations arise,” stated the minister.

(NAN)