Nigeria's government is seriously considering retaliatory action against South Africa over ongoing attacks on Nigerian citizens. Foreign Affairs Minister Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu made this clear on Monday at the Presidential Villa.
She spoke to State House Correspondents about the violence targeting Nigerians in the country. Any final decision, however, would require approval from the highest government levels and the National Assembly.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu expressed deep frustration about how South Africa has treated Nigerian migrants. "Nigeria is not happy," she said, her voice firm with emotion.
She reminded journalists of Nigeria's substantial contributions to South Africa's independence struggle. The country had poured funds and resources into that historic fight.
"In schools, seats were reserved for South African students," she noted. Her own generation had marched and protested outside South African buildings, sometimes facing arrest.
What angers Nigerians most is the selective targeting. "They are not asking other migrants to leave," Odumegwu-Ojukwu observed.
"They're only asking black migrants to leave."
When pressed on retaliatory sanctions, she didn't rule them out. "That is a situation that we are considering," she told reporters.
"It's up to our legislature, but it's not off the table."
President Bola Tinubu has already taken action. He ordered the immediate setup of a crisis response unit at Nigeria's Johannesburg Consulate and its Pretoria mission.
The repatriation process hasn't stalled, the minister stressed. South African authorities are expected to complete necessary procedures by June 8th.
"The President directed that a crisis response unit be immediately set up," Odumegwu-Ojukwu explained. Officials are now working to locate Nigerians spread across different provinces.
Some citizens need help reaching the Johannesburg Consulate. Documentation—the critical part of repatriation—has already been completed, she assured.
Numbers of those seeking evacuation keep growing daily. Multiple steps must happen before departure, she acknowledged.
South African Homeland Security handles their screening process first. Then Nigerian officials screen citizens wanting to return home.
Once cleared by both sides, citizens receive documentation proving they're free to leave. "The repatriation is on course," she stressed.
President Tinubu himself has emphasized the urgency of getting an aircraft to South Africa. Endangered Nigerians will board it for safe passage home.
Consular staff are actively reaching out across provinces. They're helping those needing assistance to access services and arrange evacuations.
