The Federal Government has reassured Nigerians living in South Africa of their safety following renewed anti-immigrant demonstrations across the country, as rising xenophobic tensions prompted hundreds of Nigerians to seek assistance from the Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria. Meanwhile, another 269 evacuated Nigerians have returned home in the latest government-coordinated repatriation exercise.
The renewed concerns come amid reports that large numbers of Nigerians gathered at the Nigerian embassy in Pretoria as fears grew over the escalating anti-immigrant protests.
The latest group of 269 returnees arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos on Tuesday aboard an Air Peace flight from Johannesburg, landing at about 10:48 a.m. The flight marked the second evacuation operation organised by the Federal Government in recent weeks.
The situation has also been heightened by the reported killing of a Nigerian businessman popularly known as “Big Joe,” who was shot dead by unidentified gunmen outside his shop in Witbank, Mpumalanga Province, on Sunday. South African police have yet to determine or announce the motive behind the attack.
On Tuesday, thousands of demonstrators marched through major cities in South Africa, demanding the removal of undocumented migrants from the country. The protests followed an ultimatum reportedly issued by anti-migrant groups, which had set Tuesday as the deadline for undocumented foreign nationals to leave.
To prevent unrest, law enforcement officers, supported by private security personnel, were deployed across affected areas amid concerns that the demonstrations could become violent.
The protests have reportedly forced many foreign nationals to flee their communities out of fear of intimidation and possible attacks. According to South African police, approximately 25,000 migrants, most of them from other African countries, have been repatriated so far.
Authorities said the demonstrations remained largely peaceful despite isolated cases of looting, vandalism and assault recorded in some locations.This version follows a standard online news structure with a stronger lead, smoother transitions, and original wording while preserving the facts contained in the source.
