Mass Deportation Begins: Tears, Fear As 586 Nigerians Forced Out Of South Africa Amid Rising Xenophobic Tension.

Mass Deportation Begins: Tears, Fear As 586 Nigerians Forced Out Of South Africa Amid Rising Xenophobic Tension.

Fear, heartbreak and uncertainty filled the air on Thursday as hundreds of Nigerians deported from South Africa touched down in Lagos after being forced to abandon their lives, businesses and dreams in the foreign country amid growing immigration crackdowns and renewed xenophobic hostility.

The first batch of returnees, many visibly exhausted and emotionally shaken, arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, aboard a special Air Peace evacuation flight at about 10:31am. Some clutched small bags containing the few belongings they could salvage, while others returned empty-handed after allegedly fleeing threats, harassment and increasing hostility targeted at foreigners in parts of South Africa.

Their arrival marked the beginning of a large-scale repatriation exercise involving 586 Nigerians who South African authorities said were found to be residing illegally in the country.

In a statement released on Thursday, South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs confirmed that the deportation process had officially commenced, revealing that 268 Nigerians were flown out in the first evacuation exercise carried out on June 11, while another batch is expected to depart South Africa on June 15.

According to the department, all affected Nigerians were processed for repatriation after investigations allegedly showed they lacked valid immigration documentation permitting them to remain in the country legally.

“The Department of Home Affairs confirms that it has processed 586 Nigerian nationals for repatriation after they were found to be residing in the Republic of South Africa illegally,” the statement said.

“The first repatriation flight departed on the morning of 11 June 2026 carrying 268 passengers, while a second flight transporting the remaining individuals is scheduled for Monday, 15 June 2026.”

South African authorities disclosed that emergency travel certificates were issued to the deportees by the Nigerian High Commission to facilitate their return home.

The department further announced that all deported persons had been declared “undesirable” under South African immigration laws and would be barred from re-entering the country for the next five years.

The development comes amid mounting concerns over renewed xenophobic attacks and anti-immigrant sentiments in South Africa, where several foreign nationals, particularly Africans from other countries, have repeatedly faced intimidation, violence and discrimination over the years.

Many of the returnees reportedly abandoned businesses, jobs, homes and properties in fear as tensions escalated in some communities.

South Africa’s Minister of Home Affairs, Dr Leon Schreiber, defended the operation, insisting that the government was determined to strengthen immigration enforcement and restore the rule of law.

“Home Affairs is irrevocably committed to enforcing South Africa’s immigration laws and restoring the rule of law. Our ongoing orderly and lawful deportations and repatriations, which have increased by 46 per cent over the past two years, are clear evidence of this,” Schreiber stated.

He explained that the South African government was intensifying immigration monitoring through reforms that include biometric documentation systems, digital identity verification and the gradual replacement of the country’s old green identity books with smart digital ID cards.

According to him, the measures are designed to tighten border control, improve national security and reduce immigration fraud.

Despite the hardline stance, Schreiber warned South Africans against taking the law into their own hands or engaging in violence against foreigners.

“In this context of ongoing progress, the public is again urged to never engage in violence or take the law into their own hands,” he added.

Back in Nigeria, government officials moved quickly to receive the deportees and begin reintegration efforts.

The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, alongside officials from immigration, health and humanitarian agencies, received the returnees at the Lagos airport.

Officials immediately commenced documentation, profiling, immigration clearance and medical screening procedures, while temporary accommodation and welfare support were arranged for some of the evacuees before reunions with their families.

The evacuees were accompanied by officials of the Nigerian Mission in South Africa led by Temitope Alexander Ajayi, who coordinated aspects of the evacuation exercise.

Speaking on behalf of the Federal Government, the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Sola Enikanolaiye, described the evacuation as a strong demonstration of President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to the protection and welfare of Nigerians abroad.

“The Federal Government of Nigeria will not stand idly by while our citizens are subjected to attacks and harassment, wherever they may be in the world,” the minister declared.

He noted that the swift intervention reflected Nigeria’s citizen-focused foreign policy and reassured Nigerians living overseas that the government remained committed to their safety and dignity regardless of where they reside.

Enikanolaiye also praised the Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria for coordinating the evacuation and urged Nigerians in South Africa to remain law-abiding, vigilant and report threats or intimidation to Nigerian authorities immediately.

He further revealed that the Federal Government was already engaging South African authorities diplomatically in a bid to ensure the safety of Nigerians still residing in the country and address the deeper issues fueling anti-foreigner attacks.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the evacuation operation was carried out in partnership with several government agencies, including the Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria, the Ministries of Humanitarian Affairs, Aviation and Health, the Nigeria Immigration Service and relevant security agencies.

Authorities said more evacuation flights may follow in the coming days as efforts continue to assist Nigerians affected by the crisis.

For many of the returnees, however, the journey home marks not just the end of a chapter, but the painful collapse of dreams they once pursued in search of better opportunities abroad.