Wicked, harassed: Evacuated Nigerians recount xenophobic attacks in South Africa

A group of approximately 270 Nigerians, among the first to be evacuated, have shared harrowing accounts of their experiences amid escalating xenophobic tensions in South Africa. They describe facing persistent harassment, intimidation, and outright attacks, painting a grim picture of life for Nigerian citizens in the country.

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I went through a lot. Because when they come to you, they will ask you, your papers, even when you show your papers, they still find something.

One returnee, Henry, detailed frustrating and discriminatory encounters with authorities during document checks. "Even when you show your papers, they still find something," he said, expressing a sense of powerlessness. He stated that the relentless challenges left him with no choice but to return to Nigeria, emphasizing his relief at being home where he wouldn't face such scrutiny. "I came back alive," he added.

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There is nothing I can do than to start afresh. I am home, after all, this is my country, nobody will ask me where is your document and all that… I came back alive

Emilia Godwin, another evacuee, characterized the treatment of Nigerians as "wicked," alleging routine mistreatment, violence, and humiliation. "We are like salves, we don’t have mouth to talk," she lamented. Godwin, who had lived in South Africa since 2014, decided to leave after years of worsening conditions for foreigners. She expressed her resolve that her child, born in South Africa, would never return to the country.

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They are wicked. They are wicked and wicked. They don’t like us. They make jests of you, they pull you. They beat you. We are like salves, we don’t have mouth to talk

The accounts emerge as concerns over xenophobic violence in South Africa intensify, a recurring issue that has previously strained diplomatic relations across the continent. The Nigerian government has voiced its concerns over the alleged harassment of its citizens and has not ruled out retaliatory diplomatic measures, even as it arranges for the return of those willing to come home.

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This my child she was born there but yeah, she will never go to South Africa anymore