ALEXANDER Ajayi, Nigeria’s acting high commissioner to South Africa, says the federal government will seek compensation from the South African government for abandoned businesses and properties left behind by Nigerians who have been repatriated.
The development comes amid rising violent attacks against African immigrants in South Africa, particularly Ghanaians, Zimbabweans and Nigerians, alongside growing claims within the country that foreigners are taking local jobs. South African rights groups had also issued a June 30 deadline for undocumented migrants to leave the country.
On Tuesday, another flight carrying repatriated Nigerians from Johannesburg landed at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos, marking the second official evacuation batch coordinated by the Nigerian government. A separate group of 66 returnees had arrived earlier on June 24, while the first batch of 258 evacuees returned on June 11 aboard a chartered Air Peace flight.
Speaking in an interview on Channels Television, Ajayi said the federal government’s response will go beyond repatriation, stressing that efforts have already begun to document the businesses and properties abandoned by Nigerians in South Africa in preparation for compensation claims.
He noted that many of those being repatriated voluntarily opted to return home ahead of planned anti-immigrant protests linked to the June 30 deadline, adding that a large number of Nigerians in South Africa are undocumented.
Ajayi explained that discussions on the matter have already been held with South African authorities, including the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, leading to an agreement to formally track and document losses.
“In terms of the businesses, just three days ago, myself and the South African deputy minister of foreign affairs were together, and we were discussing this,” he said.
“I took up the discussion with her, and we have agreed that we are going to ask our people who are returning to begin to document what they are leaving behind, and that was the message yesterday before this set that is due to land in Lagos.
“I have asked them before they left yesterday to document very accurately those things they were leaving behind in terms of businesses, in terms of even cars, movable and immovable properties.
“We can now take it up with the South African government. That is the next step we are going to take.
“So, this repatriation will not end with just taking people to Nigeria. We are going to systematically follow up on the information given to us.
“I told them to be very accurate with what they are going to give because we are going to work with the South African government to get to the exact locations of all these businesses, shops and properties and present them to the South African government for possible compensation because we will not allow the labour people have suffered to build over the years to just go down the drain or be taken over by people.”
Meanwhile, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has called for calm, urging peaceful demonstrations while warning that anyone who engages in criminal conduct during protests will face the full weight of the law. He emphasized that while the right to protest is protected, it does not extend to violence.