Nigeria threatens retaliation as it repatriates hundreds amid South Africa xenophobia row
Nigeria has threatened retaliatory measures against South Africa after Abuja began repatriating hundreds of Nigerians from the country this week. The move comes amid allegations of xenophobic attacks and a new wave of anti-immigration protests in South Africa. The dispute has sharpened diplomatic tensions between two of Africa's most prominent states.
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Nigeria's foreign minister, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, said on Monday that South Africa's government had failed to denounce violence against Nigerian nationals forcefully enough. She said the response had damaged a relationship that had been shaped in part by Nigeria's support for South Africa during the struggle against apartheid. The minister also said Nigerians were being harassed despite having legal status, and accused police of failing to act.
The latest unrest has been linked to protests by thousands of South Africans calling for strict mass deportation measures. According to the supplied figures, South Africa had 2.4 million foreign nationals in 2022, or about 3.7% of a population of 65 million. The tensions have also been tied to wider public anger over unemployment and pressure on public services, although those claims remain part of the political debate rather than a settled finding.
The immediate human cost has been significant. At least two Nigerian men died in April during the latest wave of violence, according to a statement from the Nigerian consul-general, Ninikanwa Okey-Uche. One, Amaramiro Emmanuel, was said to have been beaten by officers from the South African National Defence Force on 20 April.
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The other, Ekpenyong Andrew, was arrested in Pretoria before being found dead at a mortuary. The dispute matters because it touches on migration, public order and bilateral relations between two countries with major regional influence. South Africa has long been a destination for migrants from across the continent, both legally and illegally, and the issue has repeatedly become politically charged.
The current row also raises the risk of reciprocal diplomatic or economic steps if the two governments fail to contain the fallout. The supplied material says there have been three waves of anti-immigration protests since 2008, each of them turning violent and leading to casualties and looting of shops and other property. It also says anger has often focused on nationals from Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Malawi, as well as Nigeria and Ghana.
That history suggests the present tensions are part of a recurring pattern rather than an isolated episode. The latest allegations have also revived questions about the protection of foreign nationals and the response of law-enforcement agencies. Odumegwu-Ojukwu said legitimate businesses were being looted and children were being kept away from school.
She also said the violence had not been adequately condemned by South African authorities, which she argued had deepened the diplomatic rift. What remains unclear is the scale of the repatriation effort, what retaliatory measures Nigeria may take, and whether South Africa's government will issue a stronger response. It is also not clear from the supplied material how many people have been directly affected in the latest wave beyond the reported deaths and the repatriation of hundreds.
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The next developments to watch are any formal diplomatic steps, further security measures, and whether the protests continue.
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