Nigerian citizens spend night outside consulate in Illovo
ILLOVO – About 80 Nigerian nationals were attempting to sort out their documents so that they could be evacuated to their home country.
Dozens of Nigerian nationals gathered outside the Consulate General of Nigeria in Illovo, waiting for transport to leave the country.
A wave of xenophobic attacks around Johannesburg and Pretoria has left at least 12 people dead while many businesses were looted and destroyed. Nigeria offered is nationals in South Africa the opportunity to return to their home country. Air Peace Airlines CEO Allen Onyema volunteered to send an aircraft to evacuate Nigerian Nationals who wish to return home, free of charge.
On 12 September, a group of about 80 people were waiting outside the consulate for their opportunity to return to Nigeria. Among them, were many young children who spent the night camped outside the consulate with their parents.
The first group of Nigerian citizens made their way back to their home country on 11 September and Udemezue said that buses will arrive to transport the next group of people to OR Tambo International Airport on 13 September.
Joseph Nduka Udemezue, the premier of the Nigerian Citizen Association South Africa in Gauteng, explained that they would be assisting people who have chosen to leave South Africa.
“People are coming here and we’re assisting them with their documents so that they can be given a lift back home to Nigeria, we want to make sure that they get back home safely.”
He added that many of the people who have come to the consulate are concerned about their safety and don’t feel welcome in South Africa anymore. “Most of them have lost their belongings and their livelihood so they have decided that it is better for them to go back home.”
Good Samaritan, Renee Pomeranetz, who works near the consulate, provided breakfast for some of the children who stayed overnight at the consulate. In the afternoon, she handed out ham sandwiches, cool drink and balloons to the children who were still waiting. “I came here in the morning with breakfast and I thought I can’t sit here and eat my breakfast when these kids have been here all night.”
One Nigerian national, who wished to only be named as Faith, said that she is waiting to leave with her husband and two small children. “I can’t wait to go to my country; I’m scared for me and my kids. We are not safe in South Africa, this violence is too much.
“I don’t feel sad leaving because people didn’t want us here, this violence is too dangerous for us to live here, so I’m happy that I can go back.”
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