Nigeria completed the evacuation of its citizens from South Africa this week, airlifting nearly 1,500 people following a surge of violent anti-immigrant protests.
The exodus from South Africa has been defined by a brutal contradiction: while thousands of adults have sought safety in their home countries, many have been forced to leave their children behind. For Nigerian fathers with South African partners, the repatriation process has often meant a permanent familial fracture.
Mr. Francis Akpan, a resident of Johannesburg and indigene of Akwa Ibom State, described the situation as one of the most painful consequences of the attacks. According to Dailypost, some men lack the financial resources to bring their children along, while in other cases, South African mothers refuse to let the children leave. Akpan cited the case of Samuel Finecountry from Rivers State, who reportedly returned to Nigeria without any of his five grown children.
The June 28 Killings and State Response
The violence peaked just before an unofficial June 30 deadline set by protesters for foreigners to exit the country. On June 28, two Nigerians—identified by Nigeria’s foreign minister Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu as Musa Yunana Joe and Charles Iroegbu—were killed. The Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that one man was allegedly killed by police officers and the other by unidentified attackers.
South African police disputed the connection, claiming the deaths were not linked to the protests. However, Nigerian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa argued that these killings raise questions about deliberate attempt by some elements to wrongfully generalise and tag well-meaning, hard-working, and respectable Nigerians as criminals
.
Despite the friction, Nigeria is avoiding a hardline diplomatic break. Ebienfa confirmed that Abuja will continue to engage constructively with the South African Government through diplomatic channels, rejecting calls from some Nigerian lawmakers for a more aggressive response.
ICC Petition and Allegations of Crimes Against Humanity
The scale of the violence has prompted legal escalation at the international level. On July 15, two Ghanaian nationals—Emmanuel Kotin, a security analyst, and Palgrave Boakye-Danquah, a former government spokesperson—petitioned the International Criminal Court (ICC) to open a preliminary investigation.
The petitioners argue that the pattern of widespread and systematic attacks against migrants could constitute crimes against humanity under Article 7 of the Rome Statute. They specifically accused President Cyril Ramaphosa’s government of failing to prevent or punish the crimes.
“While we commend individuals in South Africa who have condemned these acts, the pattern, scale and recurrence of the violence raise serious questions about the failure of state authorities to prevent, investigate and punish these crimes.”
Palgrave Boakye-Danquah and Emmanuel Kotin, via RFI
The South African foreign affairs ministry dismissed the petition as opportunistic
. Spokesperson Chrispin Phiri told Reuters that the country possesses a sophisticated domestic legal framework
to protect against discrimination and intolerance.
Continental Displacement Figures
The unrest has triggered a massive regional migration shift, with more than 160,000 foreign nationals fleeing South Africa over a two-month period. While Nigeria airlifted 1,490 citizens, other nations saw significantly higher repatriation numbers.
| Country | Reported Repatriations | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Zimbabwe | 108,366 | As of July 18 |
| Malawi | 46,890 | Since early June; 6 died in transit |
| Uganda | ~1,100 | Government-assisted |
| Nigeria | 1,490 | Airlifted June 10 – July 15 |
Ghana’s President John Mahama has called on the African Union (AU) to address the escalating violence, warning that sweeping the matter under the carpet will not resolve the root causes
. He has secured a commitment to discuss the crisis at the next AU summit.
Cultural Fallout and the Tyla Controversy
The political tension has spilled into the arts, specifically targeting South African singer Tyla after Nigeria was removed from her world tour itinerary. This has sparked a debate over whether artists should be held vicariously liable for the political failures of their governments.
Nigerian activist Omoyele Sowore argued on X that no-one should hold a talented musician like Tyla vicariously liable for the crimes of xenophobia
. However, South African journalist Thango Ntwasa noted that the silence of public figures on migration issues matters, as artists may face retaliatory animosity when visiting other African nations, potentially impacting their income from touring.
The friction is further complicated by professional rivalries. According to the BBC, Tyla’s success at the Grammys—winning the Best African Music Performance category in both 2024 and a subsequent year—has become a symbol in a fan rivalry that often pits Nigerian and South African artists against one another.
Economic Pressure and Diplomatic Outlook
The immediate aftermath of the protests has left a vacuum in the South African economy. Some reports suggest the government has begun sending emissaries to African countries to apologize, as the departure of foreign nationals has led to the closure of enterprises owned by Nigerians and other migrants.
The situation remains volatile. While the African Union and European Union have reportedly applied pressure to ease the wave of attacks, the root causes—unemployment and crime—continue to be blamed on immigrants by local protesters.
The next critical development will be the ICC’s decision on whether to proceed with the preliminary examination of the petition filed by Ghanaian nationals, as well as the upcoming AU summit where President Mahama intends to force a resolution on the unrest.
