'Dem put gun for my head rob me' - returnees share experiences and wat next as 83 more Nigerians arrive from South Africa

Some of di 83 Nigerians wey return from South Africa ahead of di 30 September deadline wey anti-migration group March March give illegal migrant to comot for di kontri don share wetin dia eye see.

Di Nigerians enta di kontri wit South African Airways flight from Johannesburg, according to di Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

One statement by di ministry tok say two officials from di Consulate-General of Nigeria for South Africa, follow dem enta di kontri.

Di Ministry torchlight say "di fact be say di repatriation exercise of dis batch of returnees na private individuals run am, buy di flight tickets".

Di returnees share dia experiences wit di Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (Nidcom) wen dem arrive.

One young lady say she dey for South Africa for about 13 years wia she dey sell food for streets.

"I don dey South Africa for 13 years now, I dey street dey sell rice, e no dey easy. During di day, di police go come cary some pipo and arrest dem."

She say dem don rob her many times for South Africa, while police go come during di day to come arrest pipo.

For her, she dey happy say Nigerian govment come help dem comot for South Africa.

She narrate say for night, dem go rob her at gun point for her head.

"For night, some pipo go come rob, I no fit remember how many times dem rob me, dem go put gun for my head," she tok.

Anoda man wey tok afta e land for Nigeria say di experience for South Africa dey tough and e gatz struggle to survive.

Na about 58 adults, 23 children and 2 infants, dey among di new Nigerians wey dem evacuate comot for South Africa.

Meanwhile, di Nigerian govment don do about five batch of evacuations of Nigerians wey dey willing to comot from South Africa.

Di govment voluntary repatriation programme officially end for July 2026 afta dem arrange five batches of flights under di evacuation programme wey bring more dan 1,500 Nigerians back to di kontri.

And na only Nigerians wey bin register to leave South Africa dey included for di programme.

Nigerian govment say di flights wey evacuate di previous returnees na through public funds and di returnees no pay for dia journeys.

However, e still get some Nigerians wey still dey for South Africa as more threats dey mount ontop undocumented migrants to comot.

But as di March and March group don dey ginger for anoda protest against illegal migrants for South Africa, worry dey ova wetin Nigeria go do next as part of plans to bring back more Nigerians wey still dey South Africa.

Wat next for Nigerian govment to comot dia citizens?

Wit Nigeria completing dia five batches, serious concern dey ontop wetin go do dose Nigerians wey still dey for South Africa.

Nigeria foreign ministry say na private individuals pay for di flights of di new returnees, say dia "generous support enable dia safe return to Nigeria".

Dem don hand dem ova to relevant govment agencies for documentation and profiling bifor dem go reunite wit dia families.

Officials of di Nigeria Foreign Ministry say dem no fit force pipo comot for South Africa, say na dose wey register to comot dem go evacuate.

But di ministry no give clear tori if dem go still organise anoda evacuation programme bifor di September 30 deadline ahead of di 30 September protest.

South Africa don see several protests ova immigration dis year, wit protesters wey dey call for tight migration controls for di kontri.

Although di govment don condemn attacks on migrants but e be like say e dey increase, but dem add say dem dey also make efforts to enforce immigration laws and tackle irregular migration.

South African authorities say dem don remove more dan 80,000 undocumented migrants from di kontri as part of di measures.