Returning to Nigeria with little more than their stories, a group of Nigerian nationals who fled South Africa are now speaking out about what they say they endured before leaving. Their accounts include threats of violence, extortion, discrimination, and systematic intimidation targeting African migrants in the country.
Among the most chilling details shared by the returnees is an alleged vow by some South Africans to shoot the Africans who remained. The group says the threats were not isolated incidents but part of a broader pattern of hostility they experienced while living there.
The returnees are now calling on other Nigerians still based in South Africa to seriously consider coming home. Their message is direct: the situation, as they lived it, was not safe, and they do not believe it will improve soon.
Their testimonies add to a long and painful conversation about xenophobia in South Africa, where migrants from across the continent have repeatedly faced violence and hostility over the years. For many Nigerians back home hearing these accounts, the question is no longer whether to leave South Africa but whether those still there will listen before it is too late.
Originally published by AllAfrica.