On Monday, a group of Nigerian citizens in South Africa gathered outside the Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria to voice their frustration over the slow pace of repatriation efforts. The protest came amid ongoing xenophobic tensions that have left many feeling unsafe and desperate to return home. Chanting the Pidgin phrase “We wan go, we no go gree” (We want to go, we will not agree otherwise), the demonstrators made it clear they are unwilling to tolerate further delays.
A video from News Central TV captured the tense scene as the crowd demanded answers from officials. Many of the stranded individuals have been waiting for weeks, uncertain when they will be able to leave South Africa. The first repatriation flight, which departed Johannesburg on June 11, carried 268 Nigerians to Lagos, but almost 600 others remain stuck. Meanwhile, neighboring countries like Ghana, Zimbabwe, and Malawi have already completed their evacuation operations, with a June 30 deadline looming for undocumented migrants to depart.
The protesters are growing increasingly anxious, as the threat of xenophobic violence continues to loom. They are calling on the Nigerian government and South African authorities to speed up the process and ensure their safe return before the deadline passes. The situation highlights the broader challenges faced by African migrants in South Africa, where anti-immigrant sentiment has flared up periodically.