Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
As the first batch of 262 Nigerians touched down at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport on Thursday, June 11, 2026, a flood of harrowing testimonies poured out, detailing a life of daily terror, extortion, and the explicit threat of death for those who refuse to leave South Africa. The evacuation, facilitated by the Federal Government and Air Peace, brought home citizens from a nation convulsed by anti‑foreigner violence, where gangs have ordered all undocumented foreigners to leave by June 30.
For weeks, groups like Dudula, a Zulu term meaning to “force out”, have been running amok in townships, targeting black migrants. While official figures remain contested, the violence has claimed at least two Nigerian lives: Amaramiro Emmanuel and Ekpenyong Andrew, who were allegedly killed by South African National Defence Force personnel in Port Elizabeth. Videos circulating on social media show African migrants being gored, trampled, and stripped naked, sometimes in the presence of law enforcement.
The verbal testimonies of returnees paint a picture of systemic, unchecked brutality. Emilia Godwin, a 45‑year‑old returnee who had lived in South Africa since 2014, said: “They are wicked. They don’t like us. If you enter a taxi, they make jest of you, they pull you. They beat you. We’re just like a slave there; we don’t have mouth to talk.” Godwin, who is now a widow, alleged that South African women target Nigerian men to gain access to their property, citing the manner in which her own husband was killed as proof of the danger.
The trauma extended to the next generation. Milly Abu, who lived in Pretoria for 23 years and worked as a tutor, revealed that even schools were not safe. Her children regularly returned home to report that teachers made disparaging remarks about Nigerians to other students. “The teacher would make a comment that, ‘Oh, be careful of Nigerians, they’re kidnappers,’ or other very bad words,” Abu recounted. “Most teachers criticise kids that are from outside. They don’t regard them the same way they regard other kids that are in South Africa.”
The testimonies suggest the official security apparatus is complicit in the persecution. Emmanuel Nwachukwu, who spent 10 years in South Africa, said: “Once they know you are a Nigerian, police and other security agencies will come to extort you. Day in and day out they are doing that. As long as you are a Nigerian, you are a target.” Even those with valid documents were not spared. Henry, another returnee, told The Cable: “I went through a lot because when they come to you, they will ask you your papers. Even when you show your valid papers, they still find something to hold on.” Nwachukwu offered a chilling warning about the June 30 deadline: “They said they will start shooting at the remaining people who do not want to go home,” he alleged.
The violence has triggered a furious diplomatic backlash in Abuja. The Federal Government declared it is considering retaliatory measures against Pretoria, leaving the matter “not off the table.” Minister of Foreign Affairs Bianca Odumegwu‑Ojukwu pointedly reminded South Africa of Nigeria’s historic role in fighting apartheid. “Nigeria sacrificed much for the South African struggle for independence,” she said, “including reserving seats for South African students in our schools, carrying placards, and being arrested for demonstrating against apartheid assets.”
The Nigerian government has refuted Pretoria’s claim that the violence is only directed at illegal immigrants. “That is absolutely untrue,” Minister Odumegwu‑Ojukwu stated, insisting that the attacks target legitimate business owners, children, and anyone with a Nigerian identity.
The first evacuation flight, operated by Air Peace and witnessed by top government officials, represents a massive logistical undertaking. More than 1,000 Nigerians have registered to return, with additional flights scheduled for June 15, 18, 22, and 24. Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri‑Erewa, has ordered the profiling of the returnees to ensure they receive adequate psychological and economic reintegration support.
For those who have finally escaped the nightmare, the homecoming is bittersweet. Chukwuemeka Chris Okeke said: “There is no place like home.” Despite the trauma, he urged Nigerians to work together to make the nation great. Emilia Godwin was categorical about the future: “I will never go to South Africa anymore. Even if my child is born there, she will never go to South Africa anymore.”
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