The Nigerian government has announced its intention to seek compensation from the South African government for its citizens who have been forced to leave the country due to recent protests targeting undocumented migrants.
The Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, has stated that the issue will be discussed at the highest levels between the two governments.
In a recent development, the Acting High Commissioner to South Africa, Alexander Ajayi, has confirmed that the government has initiated the process of documenting businesses and properties abandoned by Nigerians, in preparation for potential compensation claims.
One Nigerian trader, Oghodero Erejor Wilson, who has been waiting to be repatriated, has expressed his distress at being forced to abandon his business and home due to fear for his safety, stating that he is losing “everything because of fear”.
Wilson, who has lived in South Africa for nearly a decade, has reported that he has abandoned his house, including all his clothes, and is now awaiting evacuation along with hundreds of other Nigerians.
It is estimated that over 600 Nigerians have already been repatriated in recent weeks, with the South African authorities claiming that those who have been flown home were in the country illegally, a claim that is disputed by the Nigerian government.
The recent wave of protests in South Africa, which have been organized by groups demanding that the government takes more action to curb illegal migration, has resulted in the departure of approximately 25,000 nationals from other African countries.
Some anti-migrant groups had given undocumented foreigners a deadline of 30 June to leave the country, and organized marches attended by thousands of people, which were largely peaceful but included isolated incidents of violence against foreigners.
The South African police have reported that about 900 people were arrested, primarily for immigration-related offenses and looting.
The Nigerian government has requested that all citizens who have left South Africa document their abandoned properties, including businesses, cars, and movable and immovable assets, in preparation for potential compensation claims.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Ebienfa has confirmed that all claims will be verified before any formal request is made to the South African government, and has emphasized that Nigeria has not severed ties with South Africa and is still engaging with them at the highest level.
Wilson, the trader, has reported that he had run a successful clothing business in the South African city of Centurion in Gauteng province for several years, but was forced to close his shop and flee due to the recent protests.
He is scheduled to leave on the next repatriation flight to Nigeria on Friday and estimates that the goods left in his shop are worth over 16,000 rand ($975; £735).
Wilson has expressed skepticism about the prospect of receiving compensation from the South African government, stating that while it would be welcome, he does not expect it to happen.
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