Nigerians in South Africa seek safety at Nigerian embassy amid xenophobia fears

Dozens of Nigerians in South Africa have sought refuge at the Nigerian High Commission over fears of possible xenophobic attacks linked to planned anti-immigrant demonstrations, with many remaining stranded despite ongoing evacuation efforts by the Federal Government.

The situation was captured in a video shared by News Central on Monday, showing crowds of Nigerians gathered at the embassy as uncertainty surrounded the timing and scale of the latest evacuation exercise.

According to News Central, women and children among those gathered at the embassy were given priority to stay within the premises overnight.

What the Nigerians are saying

One stranded Nigerian explained that those gathered at the embassy were not necessarily there to travel immediately, but to seek safety ahead of anticipated unrest.

• “Because of the rumour we are hearing that there will be a crisis tomorrow… we are here to just take safety. We don’t know what is going to happen tomorrow, so we are in the Nigerian embassy for safety,” he said.

The same individual expressed cautious optimism about the pace of evacuations, noting that a second batch of returnees had already departed and that the process had shown improvement.

• “By God’s grace, I think the Nigerian government, they are trying to make plans for the citizens of Nigeria, maybe Wednesday or Friday, according to what they have promised us” he said.

Another person at the embassy described the broader fear driving people to the mission, framing it as an instinctive search for safety among compatriots.

• “When you’ve been chased and when you’re afraid, the next thing you could do is to run to your father’s house,” the individual said, describing those gathered outside the embassy as “stranded Nigerians that are unsafe within their immediate vicinity because of the planned march for tomorrow.”

He directly appealed to Nigerian authorities to clarify what contingency plans existed for citizens who could not be evacuated immediately.

• “The request we are making to the authorities here is that what are the plans, what are the contingency plans for the Nigerians that are seen outside here for their safety, for their refuge?” he said.

More insights

Women and children gathered at the embassy were reportedly given priority to remain within the premises overnight, while officials worked through arrangements for the remaining evacuees still awaiting confirmation of departure.

• The scenes at the embassy reflect the broader anxiety gripping Nigerians in South Africa ahead of planned anti-immigrant demonstrations, with many choosing to seek shelter at the mission rather than remain in their homes or communities.
• The uneven pace of evacuations, with some Nigerians confirmed for departure while others wait indefinitely, also appears to be contributing to the sense of uncertainty among those seeking refuge at the embassy.

What you should know

Earlier this month, Nairametrics reported that the Nigerian Citizens Association South Africa (NICASA) said hundreds of Nigerians enrolled in the Federal Government’s voluntary repatriation programme were left stranded in South Africa without access to shelter, food, and financial support.

The affected citizens were unable to return home after delays in scheduled evacuation flights disrupted the repatriation process, despite completing the required registration and screening procedures.

NICASA disclosed this in a statement issued on Friday, with its National President, Frank Onyekwelu, saying the situation had created a worsening humanitarian crisis for families who travelled from different provinces across South Africa after being instructed to report for the exercise.