In Pretoria, a group of Nigerian nationals is staging a protest outside their embassy, demanding that their government expedite the repatriation process. With an unofficial deadline of 30 June for undocumented migrants to depart South Africa approaching, only a fraction of the nearly 600 processed Nigerian nationals have returned to their home country.
The stranded individuals have accused their government of neglecting to provide adequate assistance. Nigeria’s acting ambassador to South Africa, Alexander Temitope Ajayi, acknowledged the logistical challenges faced in the evacuation process. He expressed uncertainty regarding the departure of the second flight, promising that it would be approved between Tuesday and Friday.
Despite the Nigerian government’s approval of five evacuation flights by Air Peace, the lack of necessary landing permits has caused further delays. Protesters expressed their frustration, highlighting the lack of specific dates for the flights and the harsh conditions they face, including sleeping outdoors without food, shelter, or blankets.
The stranded individuals emphasized their readiness to return home, noting that they are not there out of desperation but because they love South Africa. They also cited the difficulty some faced in renewing government documents as a contributing factor to their current situation.
The protesters called on the South African government not to arrest those attempting to return to their country and urged the Nigerian government to take all necessary steps to repatriate the stranded citizens.
*Additional reporting by ImNews | Sources consulted: 5*
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This original article was produced by the ImNews editorial team
Source: enca
Source: Nokuthula Khanyile
