South Africa xenophobia: How my friend’s eye was removed – Returnees tell gory tales

Evacuated Nigerians who returned from South Africa under the Federal Government’s programme narrated years of xenophobic attacks, discrimination and police harassment, expressing relief at finally returning home.

For the 258 Nigerians evacuated from South Africa under the Federal Government’s repatriation programme, Thursday’s arrival in Lagos was more than a journey home — it was an escape from years of fear, discrimination and uncertainty.

According to Saturday Vanguard, many of the returnees arrived visibly exhausted but overwhelmingly relieved, with some kneeling in gratitude while others raised their hands in celebration after touching Nigerian soil.

Among them was Ogun State indigene Rafiu Wasiu, who spent about 11 years in South Africa before deciding enough was enough.

“I would just have to delete the memory of South Africa,” he said, recalling years of hostility and mistreatment.

Wasiu alleged that Nigerians were routinely profiled and blamed for incidents regardless of the facts.

“If anything happens, once they hear that you are from Nigeria, you are wrong. Even when you are right, they will prove you wrong,” he said.

Describing daily life, he claimed migrants faced intimidation from both criminals and law enforcement officials.

“In South Africa, if you are just passing on the street, they can call you and say: ‘Come here, can I have your phone?’ If you try to argue with them, they can just take out a knife and stab you to death.”

He further alleged that police officers often extorted migrants, saying, “We had to pay 2,500 rand to secure his release for doing nothing.”

Wasiu explained that economic opportunities motivated many Nigerians to migrate, hoping to support families and build better lives back home.

“I am a mechanic. I fix cars, but they do not even give us the freedom to do anything,” he said.

Other returnees, including Enitan Amao, Abdullahi Muniru and Joy, a mother of two, expressed optimism about rebuilding their lives in Nigeria despite the hardships they endured abroad.

For many aboard the Air Peace evacuation flight, the return marked the end of a painful chapter and the beginning of a fresh start.