Xenophobia: South African authorities arrest returning Nigerians at airport
Reports are emerging that the South African authorities have started arresting some Nigerians who are set to return home following increased xenophobic attacks against them.
This is as sources in the Nigerian high commission on Wednesday, September 11, reported that officials of the South African immigration service in Johannesburg were accusing returning Nigerians of travelling without necessary papers.
The sources revealed that personnel of the immigration were creating serious difficulties for Nigeria's high commission, insisting that the said Nigerians were without travel documents, and as such arresting them, The Nation reports.
An official of the Nigerian high commission told journalists: “South Africa is frustrating Nigeria. The Air Peace aircraft has been there since 4:00 am. Their Immigration started giving our High Commission problems. They said some Nigerians didn’t have papers. Immigration is arresting them, asking them to explain how they came to South Africa.
"They are frustrating the Nigerian High Commission, taking the passengers away. They want to frustrate the airline and the Nigerian government. The aircraft has been burning fuel since 4:00 am. They are not happy that Nigeria is evacuating its citizens. They don’t want the world to know that a Nigerian airline and Nigerian government is evacuating them.
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“Our high commission is having tough time with South African government. They are stopping and arresting Nigerians, saying they should explain how they came into the country.”
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Nigerians had started the process of returning to Nigeria following reported xenophobic attacks against them by the locals.
Legit.ng gathered that Nigerians gathered at the embassy located in Rivonia on Wednesday, September 11.
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Xenophobia: South African High Commissioner speaks on recent attacks | Legit TV
Source: Legit.ng
