Large numbers of Nigerians are still camping at their country’s embassy at Francis Baard Street in Tshwane while waiting to be repatriated back to their country of origin.
One of the officials of the organisations helping with the repatriation of the said Nigerians to their country, Stanley Chukwudozie, told Tshwane Talks that the number of Nigerian citizens registering to be repatriated was growing and expressed fear that the number of flights allocated by the Nigerian government won’t be enough.
“More flights will be needed to take Nigerians out of South Africa; there are men, women, children and the elderly who have slept here overnight because they feel unsafe as a result of the recent xenophobic attacks and prefer to go home; they say they have been traumatised by experiencing situations whereby their friends have been attacked,” he said.
Nigerian citizens waiting for flight at the Nigeria embassy in Pretoria photos by Dimakatso Modipa
“Nigerian elites obviously have what it takes to render help to Nigerians who are stranded here in South Africa and I must say one elite Nigerian citizen provided one flight which took away only 67 Nigerians, so we wish that more such elite citizens would come forward and provide more flights for their fellow Nigerians,” he said.
Publicity Secretary of the Nigerian Union South Africa (NUSA) Akindele Olunloyo told Tshwane Talks that potential evacuees are distressed people who have voluntarily registered themselves to be repatriated via special flights sponsored by the Nigerian Federal government.
“Earlier on there was a delay in the repatriation process which has now been rectified and we must all acknowledge the efforts of the Nigerian government and the amount of money it has spent on this humanitarian repatriation service,” he said.
He emphasised that what is going on in South Africa was a domestic issue and that they as Nigerians must not try to dabble in it but that all African people must work towards strengthening bilateral relations among African countries as well as people to people relations.
He appealed to the Nigerian Federal government to set up an Entrepreneurs fund as well as providing those who don’t have a place to stay back home in Nigeria with the much-needed shelter,” said Olunloyo.
He said the Nigerian government must provide two extra flights beyond the planned flights as there were still more Nigerians who are interested in leaving South Africa.
According to reports, the last flight for Nigerians wishing to leave the country voluntarily will be on Friday.
One of the flights taking Nigerians out of South Africa happened on Wednesday.
“Let Nigerians come home safely; they are your children; they are your blood,” said a Nigerian citizen as he appealed to millionaires and billionaires in Nigeria to help with the needed resources in the repatriation process of their fellow citizens from South Africa.
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