IJEBU-ODE— The Federal Government has assured Nigerians stranded in South Africa that no citizen willing to return home will be abandoned, saying President Bola Tinubu has directed that every effort be made to ensure their safe evacuation amid the ongoing wave of xenophobic protests in the country.
Speaking on Wednesday during an exclusive interview on Frontline, a current affairs programme on Eagle 102.5 FM, Ilese-Ijebu, Ogun State, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, said the Federal Government expanded the evacuation operation after the successful completion of the first flight, noting that additional flights were approved to facilitate the return of more Nigerians.
He, however, disclosed that the latest scheduled flight was delayed following a technical fault on the aircraft assigned for the mission.
“Subsequently, we also secured approval for four additional flights and out of that four additional flights, two have been operated.
“Today, we are supposed to witness the arrival of the fourth flight from South Africa but due to technical reasons, it might not maybe arrive today because the aircraft that was deployed by Air Peace to Johannesburg developed technical issues. We are told that the windscreen in the cockpit has some cracks or imploded or something like that”, he said
Ebienfa added that the evacuation exercise has recorded significant progress, with hundreds of Nigerians already repatriated, while arrangements are in place to bring back more citizens through the remaining approved flights.
“But for nationals that have returned to the country, so far we have evacuated 859 Nigerians from South Africa. We also have the capacity of the aircraft for 271. So if we have additional two flights, if they are all fully explored, I think we will have additional or over 500 and something more national that will return in the next few days. So that is the updates so far for the evacuation process.” he added
The ministry spokesperson said the ministry would seek fresh presidential approval for additional evacuation flights if the remaining capacity proves insufficient, noting that the President had given a firm assurance that every willing Nigerian would be brought home.
According to him: “If we have a very large number that still indicates interest to leave, definitely the Ministry will have to approach the Presidency again with the additional demand, additional data and work out the solution on how best to bring them back because Mr President has promised that no Nigerian willing to return will be left stranded or abandoned in South Africa. So with that promise, we are confident that something positive will come out.”
Ebienfa also dismissed reports suggesting prospective evacuees are required to pay for their return, stressing that the entire evacuation programme is fully funded by the Federal Government
“It is purely free of charge at no cost to any of our nationals in South Africa. Purely free of charge. The aircraft is fully paid by governments.” he clarified.
He explained that all five evacuation flights approved for the operation had been financed by the Federal Government.
“All the five flights have been paid by the federal government for the process. So no Nigerian is being made to pay any money.”
The ministry spokesman also revealed that while awaiting evacuation, some Nigerians who fled their homes over security concerns have been receiving temporary accommodation and welfare support at the Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria.
He said the mission had provided basic necessities for displaced Nigerians, while a private Nigerian also sponsored the return of 66 citizens through commercial flights.
“So in that duration, a lot of Nigerians were cut out or temporarily accommodated at the Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria. The mission has to take the responsibility to provide sleeping items, refreshment items for them to make them comfortable. Then a good-spirited Nigerian decided to pay for 66 Nigerians. He procured tickets for them to return to the country via South African airways. So that is the only group of nationals from South Africa that a private individual committed his funds to bring them back. But that was not under compulsion, but it was a voluntary act by the good-spirited Nigerian.”
Ebienfa said the Federal Government has also continued to engage South African authorities to ensure the safety of Nigerians remaining in the country.
He disclosed that the ministry recently issued a strongly worded statement urging the South African government to strengthen security for foreigners.
“Yes, we issued a strong worded press statement on Sunday calling on the South African government to step up more efforts, better measures in protecting and guaranteeing the security of all foreigners in the country, including Nigerians.”
Ebienfa further explained that the ministry continues to provide consular support to Nigerians facing legal challenges abroad, including monitoring court proceedings and facilitating legal representation where necessary.
He said: “And it’s our responsibility as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to ensure that our missions provide consular services to Nigerians living abroad.”So even in cases whereby you have proceeding in court, the ministry usually sends officials to monitor the process, to make sure that it is transparent, to make sure that you are given fair hearing.It will even go to the extent of helping some of our nationals to get the services of a lawyer, because every Nigerian is important to this country. Every Nigerian is important to the government. We don’t discriminate.”
The ministry also confirmed that Nigeria is compiling information on businesses abandoned by citizens fleeing South Africa with a view to seeking compensation.
Ebienfa said Nigerians who are legally resident and operating registered businesses should not be forced to abandon their investments because of xenophobic attacks.
“Yeah, our nationals are leaving the country based on threats to their lives, based on threats to their businesses, based on acrophobic sentiments meted out to them by South African nationals but if you are leaving your established businesses, legally operated businesses, and you are leaving the country because you are being forced to do so, definitely the Nigerian government will request for compensation.”
On the issue of compensation, the ministry spokesperson said the Federal Government is documenting businesses and investments abandoned by Nigerians fleeing South Africa, stressing that those who legally established and operated businesses in the country should not be forced to bear losses resulting from xenophobic attacks.
He said Nigeria would engage the South African government once sufficient data on affected businesses had been compiled.
” So there are South African businesses that are operating freely here in Nigeria without harassment, without molestation. So you can’t subject our nationals to ridicule, subject them to unnecessary harassment, threatening their means of livelihood, when they are living legally in your country, they are paying taxes to your government, there are duly registered businesses, as the case may be. So the concern of the Nigerian government is that for a category of Nigerians that have legacy in South Africa and have been conducting legal economic ventures in South Africa, we are going to press for compensation. The mission has started a process of registering the business details of Nigerians that are leaving. Once we get a sizable data, the government will approach the South African government to request for compensation.”
He stressed that Nigerian businesses in South Africa deserve protection, especially as South African companies continue to operate freely in Nigeria.
“So we reminded them that there are south African businesses operating freely in Nigeria without harassment, without molestation and they should think seriously about guaranteeing the security of our nationals that are living in South Africa.” he stated.
Responding to criticisms that Nigeria has relied too heavily on diplomacy despite repeated attacks on its citizens, Ebienfa acknowledged public frustration but insisted the government was pursuing a deliberate strategy.
He recalled Nigeria’s historical contributions to South Africa’s liberation from apartheid, saying the current hostility towards Nigerians was painful.
According to him: “There are concerns by some Nigerians about how the federal government is going about the process. We understand, we strongly understand their feelings. They want Nigeria to take more drastic actions against South Africa, based on the sacrifices that Nigeria have made in the past to South Africa, especially the fight against apartheid, where we committed a lot of our resources.”
Ebienfa said Nigeria’s support for South Africa during the apartheid era was well documented. He said: “It is on record that Nigeria spent over $63 billion in the fight against apartheid to support South Africa.Civil servants in the country from the 70s to the 80s were admitted to forfeit, I think, 2% of their salary, which is what we now formally refer to as the mandatory attack.”
Despite growing pressure for retaliatory action, Ebienfa maintained that diplomacy remains Nigeria’s preferred approach because of its longstanding commitment to African unity.
“Africa still remains the centerpiece of our foreign policy. So we are doing the part of diplomacy to see what we can achieve with negotiations and dialogue. But that does not mean that appropriate commensurate, repatriatory actions are not on the table,” he said.
The ministry spokesman however, warned, that Nigeria’s patience should not be mistaken for weakness, stressing that stronger measures remain under consideration if the attacks persist.
“At least we’ve put the South African government on notice that if this trend continues, definitely Nigeria will do something more drastic.”
Ebienfa added that while the government was not prepared to disclose its next steps, Nigerians would be satisfied with its eventual response if diplomatic efforts fail.
“There are concerns that we have not done enough, but that is not true. It is a matter of strategy. We are approaching them, engaging them at the highest level. And if we are not satisfied with the reaction from the South African government, Nigerians will see what we are going to do as a people that they will be proud of. And for the measures that we are going to activate, we have them on our chest. We can’t disclose that now, but we rest assured that government is working on something very serious.”
