Nigeria Begins Evacuation Of Citizens From South Africa As Diplomacy Is Threatened

The Nigerian Government in partnership with Air Peace Airlines, on Wednesday night, announced ongoing arrangements to evacuate its citizens from South Africa over the latest wave of xenophobic attacks in the country.

The announcement is coming on the heels of the government’s decision to boycott the ongoing World Economic Forum (WEF) in Cape Town, South Africa, where Vice President Prof. Yemi Osinbajo had been billed to represent Nigeria.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced in a release that “following the recent unfortunate xenophobic attacks on foreign nationals, including Nigerians in South Africa, the Proprietor of Air Peace Airlines Chief Allen Onyema, has volunteered to send an aircraft from Friday 6th September 2019 to evacuate Nigerians who wish to return to Nigeria free of charge.”

In the statement signed by its spokesperson, Ferdinand Nwonye, the ministry said “The general public is hereby advised to inform their relatives in South Africa to take advantage of this laudable gesture. Interested Nigerians are therefore advised to liaise with the High Commission of Nigeria in Pretoria and the Consulate General of Nigeria in Johannesburg for further necessary arrangement.”

Nigerians had in the last three days staged a series of protests and reprisals against South African companies in the country over Sunday’s attack on their fellow citizens in the South Africa.

There have equally been calls on the Federal Government to cut diplomatic ties with South Africa until its government takes decisive actions to end anti-foreigner violence in the country.

The recent xenophobic attacks had also seen a African countries like Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, and Malawi boycotting the ongoing World Economic Forum in the country.

– Threatened Diplomacy –

Nigeria–South Africa relations date back to the apartheid era in 1948 during which Nigeria stood as one of the foremost supporters of anti-apartheid movements in the country.

During the said period, the Nigerian Government issued more than 300 passports to South Africans seeking to live abroad prior to the end of apartheid in 1994.

But recent developments of xenophobia in South Africa may see the former British colonies completely severing their decades of diplomatic ties.

An indication of this is Nigeria’s recent recall of its ambassador to South Africa over the attacks on its citizens in the country.

Meanwhile, South Africa’s 2011 census estimated that over 26,000 Nigerians are living in the country.