Xenophobia: All Nigerians can’t leave S’Africa – Union

The Nigerian Union in South Africa has stated that it is impossible for all Nigerians living in the country to leave, amid renewed anti-immigration protests and attacks on foreign-owned businesses.

Speaking in an interview with Sunday PUNCH, the President-General of NUSA, Smart Nwobi, said many Nigerians had lived in South Africa for decades, noting that some had settled before apartheid and established families and businesses there.

Nwobi, speaking against the backdrop of Thursday’s violence in Johannesburg and Durban, emphasised that the xenophobic protests should not be viewed as an issue affecting Nigerians alone, stressing that migrants from across Africa were impacted.

“It is not possible for all Nigerians to leave South Africa. Some people have settled here for decades, even before apartheid; they have resided here, they have had children, their livelihood is here, and it is not easy.”

“We should know that it is not only Nigeria that is a foreign migrant here; it is an entire African migrant issue,” he said.

His comments came as at least 24 vehicles were torched and foreign-owned shops looted during anti-immigration protests in Soweto, a township outside Johannesburg, and in Durban, according to South African police.

Police reported that 14 vehicles were torched in Durban and 10 in Soweto, while three foreign nationals were arrested in connection with an alleged assault on a protester in Durban.

The latest unrest followed public anger over a Constitutional Court ruling that removed procedural barriers preventing some migrants who entered South Africa irregularly, lacked asylum transit visas, or missed reporting deadlines from applying for asylum.

The South African government clarified in a statement that the ruling did not automatically grant refugee status or permanent residence, but allowed affected persons to have their claims assessed.

The government also acknowledged that refugee reception offices had been overwhelmed by the volume of applications.

Nwobi stated that efforts were already underway to assist Nigerians who wished to return home, but noted that the number of individuals seeking to leave remained far below the total Nigerian population in the country.

“A flight left yesterday (Friday) with around 150 people, and we still have between 1,500 and 2,000 Nigerians who are willing to leave.

“Remember RCCG promised 500 tickets, but due to logistical and clearance purposes, all 500 will not leave at once; it will be in batches.

“So far, we are talking about roughly 2,500 Nigerians that have left South Africa, taking into account that the Federal Government has evacuated over 1,000, alongside other groups and corporate initiatives, and I am sure by the end of everything, about 5,000 would have left South Africa,” he said.

However, the Federal Government put the number evacuated under its official programme at 1,490 as of July 15, 2026.

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The Federal Ministry of Information stated that the figure followed five phases of voluntary evacuation conducted in partnership with Air Peace and South African Airways between June 10 and July 15.

The ministry noted that the exercise was undertaken in response to security concerns arising from xenophobic attacks targeting foreign nationals, including Nigerians.

Reacting to the protests, the President of the Association of Yorubas in Diaspora, South Africa, Dr. Olusola Agbeniyi, said the demonstrations stemmed from a misunderstanding of the court ruling.

“Nigerians are not affected in any way because Nigerians are not qualified for asylum seeker permits in South Africa,” Agbeniyi added.

Similarly, the President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, South Africa, Dr. ABC Okokoh, described the development as unfortunate, noting that it reflected growing frustration among certain sections of the South African population.

“Well, it is unfortunate, but not a surprise. The recent past is not history made; it points to the mental breaking point of a disgruntled section of the South African population,” he said.

Thursday’s violence marks the latest episode in a long history of xenophobic incidents in South Africa.

According to the South African government, 62 people, including 21 South Africans, were killed during xenophobic violence in 2008.

Human Rights Watch reported that similar attacks in 2019 left at least 12 people dead and thousands displaced.

The violence has persisted into 2026, with Human Rights Watch documenting violent anti-immigrant demonstrations in Johannesburg, Pretoria, and Durban in April and May, while the Nigerian government reported that two of its nationals were killed in South Africa on June 28.

The latest crisis has prompted Nigeria and other African nations to step up evacuation measures for their citizens.

When contacted by Sunday PUNCH, the South African Consul-General, Professor Bobby Moroe, promised to respond to inquiries but had yet to do so as of the time of filing this report.