The Federal Government has begun efforts to secure compensation for Nigerians who were forced to leave behind their businesses and properties in South Africa amid renewed xenophobic tensions.
Nigeria’s Acting High Commissioner to South Africa, Alexander Ajayi, disclosed the development during an interview on Channels Television, saying the government is determined to ensure affected citizens do not lose years of investment without support.
According to Ajayi, the compensation process will follow the ongoing voluntary repatriation of Nigerians who chose to return home ahead of the June 30 deadline issued by some South African groups calling on undocumented migrants to leave the country.
He revealed that the Nigerian government has already started documenting businesses, vehicles and other assets left behind by returnees before formally engaging the South African government.
“I have asked them before they left yesterday to document very accurately those things they were leaving behind in terms of businesses, in terms of even cars, movable and immovable properties,” Ajayi said.
He explained that the information gathered would help both governments identify the affected assets and explore possible compensation for their owners.
“This repatriation will not end with just taking people to Nigeria. We are going to systematically follow up on the information given to us,” he added.
Ajayi also urged returnees to provide accurate details, stressing that Nigerian officials would work with South African authorities to verify the locations of abandoned businesses and properties.
“We are going to work with the South African government to get to the exact locations of all these businesses, shops and properties and present them to the South African government for possible compensation because we will not allow the labour people have suffered to build over the years to just go down the drain,” he said.
The latest evacuation comes amid renewed xenophobic tensions in South Africa, where attacks targeting African migrants have raised fresh concerns.
Another batch of Nigerians arrived in Lagos on Tuesday under the Federal Government’s evacuation programme, following earlier repatriation flights in June.
Meanwhile, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has appealed for peaceful protests, warning that anyone involved in violence or criminal acts would face the full weight of the law.
Source: Channels Television
