The Federal Government intends to pursue compensation from the South African authorities for Nigerians who were compelled to leave their businesses and properties due to escalating anti-immigrant demonstrations.
Alexander Ajayi, the Acting Nigerian High Commissioner to South Africa, shared this information on Tuesday during his appearance on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, as yet another group of Nigerians was set to arrive back in Lagos voluntarily.
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Ajayi mentioned that the government has started gathering information on the businesses, vehicles, and other belongings left behind by those returning, as part of its strategy to seek compensation.
“I have asked them to carefully document everything they are leaving behind, including businesses, cars, and other personal properties. We can then raise this issue with the South African government,” he stated.
He added that the repatriation exercise would not end with bringing Nigerians home.
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“We are going to systematically follow up and work with the South African government to get to the exact locations of all these businesses, shops and properties, because we will not allow the labour people have suffered to build over the years to just go down the drain.”
Ajayi also rejected claims that most Nigerians in South Africa are undocumented, insisting they entered the country legally.
According to him, many migrants became victims of prolonged delays in renewing their immigration documents due to a backlog at South Africa’s Home Office.
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“You cannot rightly claim that these were undocumented because most of them came to the country legally. They were caught up in unnecessary delays,” he said.
Meanwhile, an Air Peace aircraft departed Nigeria on Monday to evacuate another group of Nigerians who voluntarily chose to return ahead of planned anti-immigrant demonstrations scheduled to begin on June 30.
The Federal Government says it will continue the evacuation programme while intensifying efforts to protect the interests of affected Nigerians.
