• "Our citizens are not merely statistics. They are fathers, mothers, children, students, workers, and entrepreneurs who have found themselves in desperate circumstances. Their cries for help must not go unanswered," he said.

More insights

NICASA called on the Federal Government to intervene urgently, expedite the completion of the repatriation programme, deploy emergency resources, and establish a humanitarian support mechanism for those still stranded pending their departure.

• The association said it understands the Nigerian High Commission in South Africa aims to improve communication, provide temporary welfare support, and engage constructively with community leadership structures to address the immediate needs of affected citizens.
• Onyekwelu reiterated NICASA's commitment to supporting the government and relevant stakeholders in ensuring the successful completion of the voluntary repatriation programme, stressing that the suffering of stranded Nigerians required urgent and decisive action.

What you should know

The plight of the stranded Nigerians comes in the wake of an ongoing wave of xenophobic attacks in South Africa that has continued unabated since April 2026, prompting Nigeria, Ghana, and Malawi to evacuate hundreds of their citizens from the country.

Earlier this month, Nairametrics reported that Nigeria has begun evacuating its citizens from South Africa, as the first group of 262 Nigerians departed Johannesburg for Lagos amid renewed xenophobic attacks against foreign nationals.

The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) announced the development in a statement posted on its official X account on Thursday, June 11.