“We No Go Gree” — Nigerians in South Africa Demand Evacuation as June 30 Deadline Nears

“We No Go Gree” — Nigerians in South Africa Demand Evacuation as June 30 Deadline Nears

Some stranded Nigerians in South Africa on Monday staged a peaceful protest at the Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria over delays in repatriation flights and the slow processing of their return to Nigeria amid ongoing xenophobic attacks and anti-immigration tensions in the country. The protesting Nigerians were seen outside the Nigeria House Commission chanting “We no go gree o, we wan go” while demanding urgent action from the federal government over their situation. The demonstration came as a June 30 deadline set by anti-migrant groups for undocumented foreigners to leave South Africa draws near, heightening anxiety among affected citizens.

One of the affected Nigerians, in a video during the protest, expressed deep frustration over the delay, lamenting that women and children were stranded without shelter and food in harsh winter conditions. “I didn’t really support what the ambassador was saying because it didn’t specify the specific date when the flight could have come. This is because the federal government from our information released five aircrafts from which one came and took people, remaining four aircrafts,” he said. “The question is why the delay because there are stranded women and children hoping to come only to hear that the flight is cancelled. Today, these women in this weather sleep outside. There is no food, shelter and blanket,” he added.

The protester further queried the sudden cancellation of flights, insisting they were ready to return home amid escalating tensions in the country. “We want to know what is going on because from what we’re told the relief is not there. Only one flight is not enough. They said five. We have only seen one. Where is the remaining four?” he asked. “We are ready to go home. Our people are ready to go home because of these tension going on in South Africa. Most of us might look stranded but we have a home. We are here not because we are desperate but because we love South Africa,” he added.

Speaking during the protest, Smart Nwobu, president of the Nigerian community in South Africa, appealed to the Federal Government and relevant authorities to expedite the evacuation of stranded Nigerians. “As you know, only one flight left. The question is, when is the second batch? When is the third batch? When is the fourth batch?” Nwobu asked. “We were promised that the second batch will be here on the 15th of June. The 15th has come and left. People were made destitute and their conditions worsened. Nigerians are now sleeping on the street, and their documents have been cancelled as a result of that registration,” he stated. He said the protesters gathered at the high commission to express their dissatisfaction with the situation and urge the government to complete the evacuation process before the end of June.

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Nigeria’s Acting High Commissioner to South Africa, Alexander Ajayi, who addressed the protesters, clarified that the repatriation was temporarily suspended due to operational reasons, assuring affected Nigerians they would be evacuated before the June 30 deadline. “Contrary to insinuations that are going on that the repatriation has been cancelled, it has not been cancelled. It was only temporarily suspended due to operational reasons,” Mr Ajayi stated. The non-violent demonstration came amid ongoing efforts by the government to repatriate Nigerians seeking to leave South Africa following renewed anti-immigration tensions and concerns in the country.

The Federal Government had earlier announced plans for five repatriation flights to evacuate Nigerians willing to return home following rising anti-immigration tensions in South Africa. The first batch of 258 Nigerians arrived in Lagos on June 11, but the second flight, initially scheduled for June 15, was postponed, deepening frustration among affected citizens. Available figures indicate that while 258 Nigerians have been successfully evacuated from South Africa, more than 742 registered citizens reportedly remain stranded across different provinces, facing hunger and homelessness due to flight logistics delays. Scores of Nigerians awaiting repatriation earlier underwent screening at the Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria as part of the evacuation exercise amid efforts by officials to finalise flight arrangements for registered returnees.

The Nigerian Citizens Association South Africa (NICASA) has raised the alarm over the worsening humanitarian situation facing stranded Nigerians. National President Rev. Frank Onyekwelu revealed that many families, including women and children, are stranded without shelter, food, transportation, or financial means to sustain themselves. “Today, numerous families, including women and children, are stranded without shelter, food, transportation or financial means to sustain themselves,” Onyekwelu said in a statement. “Our citizens are not merely statistics. They are fathers, mothers, children, students, workers and entrepreneurs who have found themselves in desperate circumstances. Their cries for help must not go unanswered,” he added. The association further alleged that some Nigerians experienced humiliation, insensitive treatment, and poor communication from certain officials during the registration and screening exercise.

The Ohanaeze Ndigbo South Africa has called on the Federal Government to urgently resume the repatriation exercise, lamenting that the delay has compounded the hardship faced by affected Nigerians and allegedly led to the death of a Nigerian woman. In a letter addressed to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, the group’s President, Dr. ABC Okokoh, stated that the woman reportedly collapsed after learning that the repatriation flight had been suspended. “Just last week, one of our compatriots reportedly collapsed and died on hearing that the flight had been cancelled. Her children have been rendered motherless because of her dashed hope arising from the unfortunate development,” Dr. Okokoh stated. He stressed that the organisation was not criticising the Federal Government’s intervention but was appealing for urgent measures to address the plight of stranded Nigerians, particularly those sleeping in open spaces around the Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria under harsh winter conditions.

The Federal Government has assured Nigerians residing in South Africa that all citizens who have indicated interest in returning home amid ongoing anti-migrant attacks will be evacuated before the June 30 deadline. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, had earlier stated that President Bola Tinubu approved the evacuation exercise following reports of harassment, intimidation, and attacks against Nigerians and other African migrants living in South Africa. On June 18, the minister had assured Nigerians in South Africa that no citizen willing to return home would be abandoned, following the first government-led evacuation flight. She disclosed that nearly 1,000 Nigerians had registered for evacuation, leaving more than 742 awaiting transportation back to Nigeria. The South African Police Service has also announced that it would strengthen deployments nationwide ahead of the June 30 deadline set by fringe anti-illegal immigration groups for undocumented foreigners to leave. Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia said the police had elevated operational readiness across all provinces, with comprehensive deployment plans in place to protect communities and critical infrastructure.

 

“We No Go Gree” — Nigerians in South Africa Demand Evacuation as June 30 Deadline Nears