The Federal Government has assured Nigerians still residing in South Africa of their safety, even as fresh concerns over xenophobic tensions and renewed anti-immigrant protests continue to trigger calls for stronger diplomatic action.
This comes after Nigerians reportedly stormed the country’s embassy in Pretoria as xenophobic tensions escalated while another batch of 269 Nigerians evacuated from South Africa arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, on Tuesday aboard an Air Peace flight from Johannesburg at 10.48 am, marking the second government-coordinated evacuation exercise in recent weeks.
A Nigerian businessman popularly known as ‘Big Joe’ was reportedly shot and killed by unidentified gunmen on Sunday, outside his shop in Witbank, Mpumalanga Province, though local police have not announced the cause of his death.
Thousands of locals marched in major cities across South Africa on Tuesday, calling for the removal of undocumented migrants from the country.
Police officers, supported by private security personnel, were deployed amid concerns that the demonstrations could turn violent. Anti-migrant groups had set Tuesday as a deadline for undocumented foreigners to leave.
In the wake of the protests, many foreign nationals have reportedly fled their communities due to fear of violence and intimidation. South African police said about 25,000 migrants have been repatriated so far, most of them from other African countries.
South African police said the protests were largely peaceful, although isolated incidents of looting, vandalism and assaults were recorded.
In Johannesburg, police maintained a strong presence across the city centre, while businesses remained closed in parts of the commercial district. The military was also deployed to Hillbrow, a suburb with a large migrant population, following reports that a teenager had been shot and a vehicle set ablaze.
Local media reported that protesters in Yeoville threw bricks at some homes occupied by migrants, while demonstrators in Germiston allegedly evicted suspected undocumented foreign nationals from their homes and handed them over to police for immigration checks.
Police said five people were arrested for allegedly looting a foreign-owned shop in Soweto. In KwaZulu-Natal Province, about 10 people were arrested over looting, while another woman was arrested for assaulting a police officer and a man was detained over alleged intimidation following the reported assault of a foreign national.
The leader of the anti-migrant group March and March, Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma, said the group would continue staging weekly protests over the next six months to pressure the government to deport undocumented migrants.
A member of another anti-migrant movement, Operation Dudula, told the BBC the group would continue pushing police to arrest foreigners found to be living in the country illegally.
On the eve of the protests, President Cyril Ramaphosa met with some protest leaders in an effort to ease tensions.
While acknowledging concerns over immigration, Ramaphosa urged demonstrators to remain peaceful and warned against intimidation and violence.
The Nigerian returnees’ arrival marked the second government-coordinated evacuation flight from South Africa.
“Some foreign nationals who live in South Africa are here lawfully,” the president said in his weekly newsletter.
“They work, study, raise families, invest in our economy and contribute positively to our society. They too are entitled to the protection of our laws and our Constitution.”
He added that the right to protest “does not allow people to threaten or intimidate others, or to engage in acts of vandalism or violence.”
South African authorities said about 50,000 undocumented migrants have been arrested since January, while approximately 25,000 have already been repatriated. Most are from other African countries.
On April 20, Amaramiro Emmanuel allegedly died after he was assaulted by members of the South African National Defence Force in Port Elizabeth. Days later, on April 26, Ekpenyong Andrew was reportedly arrested in Pretoria and was later found dead in a mortuary under circumstances that remain under investigation.
The Nigerian government demanded thorough investigations into both deaths, while Nigerian community organisations have continued to raise concerns over attacks on their members amid rising anti-foreigner sentiment.
Foreign Affairs ministry
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in a statement issued in Abuja and signed by its spokesperson, Mr. Kimiebi Ebienfa, said the Federal Government had intensified efforts to bring home Nigerians willing to return, particularly ahead of the June 30 (Tuesday) deadline set by South African groups for undocumented foreigners to leave the country.
Despite the deadline, the FG reassured Nigerians still in South Africa of their continued safety, pledging sustained high-level diplomatic engagement with the South African government to protect their interests.
Before Tuesday’s evacuation, 66 Nigerians returned to Lagos on June 24 aboard a Value Jet airline facilitated by its CEO, Kunle Soname.
The ministry said the latest batch of evacuees, who were accompanied by officials of the Nigerian Mission in South Africa, was received at the airport by senior officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs led by the Director of the African Affairs Department, Ambassador Haruna Ali-Gombe.
Speaking during the reception, Ali-Gombe conveyed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s message of reassurance to the returnees.
He said, “The batch of 269 evacuees, escorted by officials of the Nigerian Mission in South Africa, were officially received at the airport by senior officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs led by the Director, African Affairs Department, Ambassador Haruna Ali-Gombe, mni, who conveyed the heartfelt greetings and assurances of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, to the returning nationals, reaffirming the Federal Government’s steadfast commitment to ensure the safety of Nigerian nationals living outside the country.”
The ministry stressed that the evacuation exercise remained ongoing despite the June 30 deadline imposed by South African authorities.
According to the ministry, additional evacuation flights are expected in the coming days to bring back all Nigerians who have completed the screening process and opted for voluntary return.
The ministry stated, “With the June 30 deadline on undocumented foreigners to leave South Africa, the Federal Government wishes to reiterate the fact that the evacuation process is still on course and more flights are expected in the country in the next few days to evacuate all Nigerians that have been screened and cleared to voluntarily return to the country. Government will continue to engage South African authorities at the highest levels to ensure the protection of Nigerian nationals living in the country.”
Announcing the arrival of the latest batch, the ministry said, “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs wishes to inform that the second evacuation flight from Johannesburg, South Africa, operated by Air Peace, arrived the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, on Tuesday, 30th June 2026, at 10.48 am with 269 returnees. This is in addition to 66 returnees that arrived via South African Airways, facilitated by a good-spirited Nigerian, on the 24th of June, 2026.”
The PUNCH