Xenophobia: Evacuated Nigerians might be deterred from South Africa for 10 years

Reports reaching Daily Times NGR have claimed that the 187 evacuated Nigerians from South Africa due to the existing Xenophobia attacks may be deterred from visiting the country for at least 10 years. 

Hundreds of Nigerians who were scheduled to be evacuated from South Africa by the Air Peace Boeing 777, On Wednesday, September 11, 2019 were frustrated at the South African airport and immigration officials.

the flight which was scheduled for 9 am did not depart the OR Tambo International Airport until 4 pm, due to various obstacles imposed by the airport officials.

Due to these obstacles, the plane eventually arrived the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos at 9.34 pm.

Punch reports that Pretoria was not happy about the evacuation operation as senior officials in the country’s Foreign Affairs Ministry described it as “a yellow card to Nigeria-South Africa relations.”

The country’s airport and immigration officials were reported to have mounted impediments to frustrate evacuation of Nigerians from their country because it was seen as a thumb down for South Africa.

During the evacuation of the first batch of Nigerians, the returnees according to Punch had boarded the aircraft at the Johannesburg airport, when the SA immigration officials announced that they must carry out a biometric capture.

All of them were thereafter deplaned for the biometric exercise with the officials spending about 10 minutes on each of them.

One of the officials, who participated in the exercise told Punch that the valid South African visas possessed by Nigerians were cancelled during the biometric exercise.

It was also gathered that the biometrics was a ploy to blacklist Nigerians, who are leaving the country because of the recent xenophobic attacks on foreigners in South Africa. 

A South African immigration official was reported to have said: “When you are evacuating your citizens from a country, it is like sending a strong message to that country about your relations with them. No country would be happy with the evacuation of foreign nationals from its territory.

“South Africans were very strategic. We arrived at Jo-burg by 6.15 am. The intention was to leave by 9 am, but after clearing about 85 out of the 313 who were scheduled for airlifting, they insisted they should do biometric capture for those who were willing to leave.

“So, they had to come down from the plane and start the clearance process afresh. Now, there are reports that if they capture your biometrics and you leave, you won’t be allowed into South Africa again or you may be barred from visiting for at least 10 years.

“So, some Nigerians who planned to come to Nigeria to relax for some time and then go back eventually decided to stay back for fear of being barred from visiting South Africa, where they have investments and families.”