Nigeria has become the latest African state to repatriate some of its citizens from South Africa following a rise in anti-migrant sentiments in the country. A flight carrying 268 Nigerians has landed in Lagos after leaving Johannesburg on Thursday morning. The passengers were part of around 1,000 people who the Nigerian consulate in South Africa says have registered to be repatriated.
Ghana, Zimbabwe and Malawi have already carried out evacuations, ahead of a 30 June deadline set by some campaigners for undocumented migrants to leave. Many people from other parts of Africa moved to South Africa around the time white-minority rule ended in 1994, hoping for a better life. But with South Africa facing an unemployment rate of more than 30%, anti-migrant sentiments have risen, with protest marches being held in major cities and people facing xenophobic attacks.
At the main international airport in Johannesburg, Justin, one of the Nigerian passengers, told the BBC that he had lived in South Africa since 1998. “I’m leaving because of the conditions they’ve given us here. They say we must leave on or before 30th June.
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And because of the way they are killing people, killing our brothers, so I’m not safe,” Justin said. Justin told the BBC that he had already been targeted. “Recently they attacked me in a taxi.
I ran away and left my things. I left my phone and everything. “They call us names and say you must leave this country. When we tried to beg them, they started insulting us.”
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