South African politician celebrates exit of Nigerians amid new wave of xenophobia
As the first batch of evacuated Nigerians arrived safely in Lagos, a South African political figure has sparked outrage by openly celebrating their departure, citing deep-seated resentment and alleging that Nigerian nationals are responsible for ruining the lives of South African youths.
Thabile Sibeko, who identified herself as the president of the Inizwe Nathi Party, made the remarks while speaking to journalists during the evacuation process. Her comments come amid a fresh wave of xenophobic attacks targeting foreign nationals across South Africa.
“They are horrible”
In a video captured and published by News Central, Sibeko expressed delight at the evacuation, claiming that the departure of Nigerians was a welcome development for her country.
“I’m here to bid farewell to Nigeria, to make sure that they are leaving our country and to say to them bye-bye, Nigeria. Thank you for all you contributed to our country,” Sibeko said.
READ ALSO: XENOPHOBIA: Over 1,000 Nigerians seek repatriation from South Africa
She continued by leveling heavy accusations against the Nigerian community, linking them to the local drug crisis.
“We did not appreciate the wrongs that you have done, and we hope that you have learned a lesson… Today we’ve got zombies in our streets as our children because of them, and that has cut deep in our hearts and that has made us to resent them with all that we have.
“Nigeria is horrible, these people are horrible. They’ve killed our children with drugs, and that is the reason why we are so strong on Nigeria because of their behavior.”
First batch of evacuees arrive in Lagos
Meanwhile, the federal government’s rescue mission yielded its first tangible results on Thursday as the inaugural flight carrying 258 Nigerian evacuees touched down in Lagos.
The returnees were escorted home by officials from the Nigerian Mission in South Africa, led by the Acting High Commissioner, Ambassador Temitope Alexander Ajayi.
FG reacts: “No Nigerian should live in fear”
Receiving the returnees, the minister of state for foreign affairs, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye, condemned the hostility directed at Nigerians and re-emphasized the government’s stance on citizens’ safety.
He asserted that the Nigerian government will no longer tolerate the profiling, harassment, or physical targeting of its citizens anywhere in the world.
He noted that the successful evacuation demonstrated the Federal Government’s decisive commitment to protecting the lives and dignity of its diaspora population in the face of intolerance.
“The federal government remains fully engaged with the South African authorities at the highest levels to ensure protection of Nigerian nationals and to address the root causes of these unfortunate incidents,” the minister stated.
The ministry of foreign affairs confirmed that the 258 nationals are currently undergoing standard post-arrival protocols, which include formal documentation and profiling, comprehensive medical checksand provision of temporary accommodation.
Once these initial steps are completed, the returnees will be safely reunited with their families.
Ambassador Enikanolaiye urged Nigerians still residing in South Africa to remain law-abiding but highly vigilant, advising them to report any imminent threats to the Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria. More evacuation flights are expected to land in Nigeria in the coming days.
