Nigeria Repatriates Hundreds From South Africa as Ghana Summons Officials Over Anti-Migrant Violence
Updated
Updated · The Associated Press · Jun 20
Nigeria Repatriates Hundreds From South Africa as Ghana Summons Officials Over Anti-Migrant Violence
3 articles · Updated · The Associated Press · Jun 20
Summary
Hundreds of Nigerians and other African migrants have been flown out of South Africa after May attacks and rising anti-immigrant protests, with Nigeria’s first group returning on June 11.
The evacuations followed a sharp surge in xenophobic sentiment, including marches demanding undocumented migrants leave and reports of violence against foreign nationals.
Nigeria and Ghana have summoned South African diplomatic officials, while Malawi and others also repatriated citizens amid growing regional alarm over migrant safety.
Returnees say they escaped violence only to face Nigeria’s deep economic strain, where fuel has jumped from 85 Naira a liter in 2016 to about 1,400 naira on arrival.
South Africa still draws many African migrants because of its relatively stronger economy and infrastructure, underscoring why repatriation does not resolve the pressures that drove them abroad.