S’Africans treated us like animals — Returnees recount xenophobic horror

As Rafiu Wasiu disembarked from the aircraft at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos on Thursday, his face reflected a mix of emotions. While he was relieved to be back home, he appeared downcast by the circumstances that forced his return.

Wasiu, a mechanic who spent years working in South Africa, was among 268 Nigerians who arrived the country aboard a government-facilitated evacuation flight. They returned not as visitors, but as people who had fled what they described as escalating xenophobic attacks, intimidation and economic exclusion.

The returnees, many of whom had lived in South Africa for years, came back with stories of fear, loss and abrupt displacement. Several said they left behind businesses built over time, while others abandoned families, homes and investments. For many, the decision to return was not voluntary, but driven by what they described as rising hostility and insecurity.

“They treated us like animals”

Recalling his experience, which he described as traumatic, Wasiu stated that foreigners, especially Nigerians and other Africans, had become targets in many communities.

“I’m so happy right now. I’m glad to be returning home safely. They started the attacks alongside warnings that we should leave the country,” he said.

According to him, the violence was often sudden and unprovoked.

“You can just see them on the street calling you. They will say, ‘Hey, come here, let me have your phone.’ If you resist, they bring out a knife and stab you. And, the police will do nothing,” he said.

He also alleged that foreigners were routinely singled out and mistreated.

“These are black South Africans. They treat us like animals. They don’t have any regard for us,” he added, while noting that most migrants were engaged in small-scale trade and informal work.

Accusing law enforcement officers of extortion, Wasiu said, “Two weeks ago, I was sitting with my friend when the police came. They picked him up and we had to pay 2,500 rand to secure his release,” he said.

He further claimed that officers often used different and flimsy methods to get migrants to part with their money.

“Police will stop you on the road. Once they see money on you, they will say somebody has Mandela’s head here because Mandela’s picture is on the currency. Then they take your money,” he alleged.

Now back in Nigeria, Wasiu said he is focused on rebuilding his life.

“I am not lazy and I am happy to be back in my country. I will look for a job and do it with peace of mind,” he said.

He alleged that foreigners were routinely targeted in communities where tensions over jobs and economic hardship often spilled into violence.

According to him, many migrants were simply trying to survive through small-scale trade, delivery jobs and informal work, but even that came with risk.

“If a South African is going to work and sees his friend on the road, he may abandon work for the day and later claim he is sick. But when foreigners get those jobs, trouble starts,” he said.

Broken plans, forced exits

For Milly Abuh, the collapse came through her livelihood. She told our correspondent that she ran a small retail business until authorities shut it down over documentation issues.

“The police came and closed down the business because I could not provide what they called proper documentation. When I tried to ask questions, they started beating me,” she said.

Her story mirrors that of others who say their economic activities were disrupted by both enforcement actions and rising hostility.

For some, even legal residency offered no guarantee of stability.

Lara Jacob said she lived in the country legally with valid permits, but things changed when she attempted to renew her documents.

She said, “I wasn’t staying illegally in South Africa. I had my permit. But, when I wanted to renew it, they refused. They told us to go home and fix our country.”

She went further to describe an atmosphere of fear and intimidation that intensified over time.

“They always threatened that they would kill us all if we didn’t leave their country. The situation became like a place with no laws when it comes to foreigners,” she said.

Jacob also alleged incidents of violence against migrants and lack of accountability, saying insecurity became part of daily life.

A painful exit, a divided family

For Justine Okonkwo, the decision to return home came at a personal cost, as his wife and two children remained in South Africa.

“We were selling clothes but the place where we do business was shut down. They claimed we were taking their jobs,” he said.

Rejecting the accusation, he insisted that migrants were not competing for formal employment.

“We were neither working in government nor doing anything that affected their jobs,” he said.

Despite his family remaining behind, Okonkwo said he prioritised survival.

“I chose to secure my life first. I am not planning to go back there,” he said.

Return, relief and unanswered questions

As the returnees stepped back into Nigeria, their arrival has once again drawn attention to long-standing tensions surrounding xenophobia in South Africa, where foreign nationals, particularly Africans from other countries, have periodically faced attacks linked to unemployment, poverty and social resentment.

In May, Senator Adams Oshiomhole called on the Federal Government to consider retaliatory measures against South African businesses operating in Nigeria following renewed reports of attacks on Nigerians abroad. But so far, no formal reciprocal action has been announced.

For the returnees, however, the debate is far removed from diplomacy.

What remains are memories of streets that turned hostile, of livelihoods cut short, and of lives rebuilt overnight in reverse direction.

And for many, the hardest part is not the return. It is what was left behind.