…Says Discrimination, Violence Against Nigerians Persisted For Years
…Reveals Emotional Escape During FG Evacuation Flight
Daud Olatunji
A Nigerian returnee, Emilia Godwin, has recounted harrowing experiences of alleged xenophobic violence, discrimination and intimidation in South Africa, describing how Nigerians were “treated like slaves” and repeatedly subjected to physical attacks before she was eventually evacuated under a Federal Government-backed operation.
Godwin was among the first batch of Nigerians airlifted back home aboard an Air Peace evacuation flight coordinated by the Federal Government of Nigeria following renewed reports of anti-foreigner hostility in parts of South Africa.
Speaking shortly after her arrival in Lagos on Thursday, she gave an emotional account of what she described as years of sustained abuse, harassment, and fear, saying her decision to leave the country had long been delayed by financial constraints and immigration bottlenecks.
“I am still saying it now that I am in my country… they are wicked. They don’t like us,” she said, alleging that Nigerians and other African migrants were routinely targeted in public spaces.
According to her, the attacks were not isolated incidents but recurring experiences, especially in transport systems and workplaces.
“If you enter a taxi, they make jest of you, they pull you, they beat you. We are just like slaves there. We don’t have a mouth to talk. If you talk too much, they start hitting you and speaking their language,” she alleged.
Godwin, who said she lived in South Africa since 2014, disclosed that she had long considered returning to Nigeria but was unable to do so until the emergency evacuation was arranged by authorities.
She insisted she would never return to the country, even though her child was born there.
“I will never go to South Africa anymore. Even though my child was born there, she will never go to South Africa anymore,” she said.
The returnee further alleged that xenophobic tensions had become more entrenched in recent years, claiming that Nigerians were increasingly exposed to systemic discrimination and physical insecurity.
She also narrated a distressing experience at the O.R. Tambo International Airport, saying immigration officials subjected her and her daughter to prolonged questioning and delays despite having valid documentation.
“It was only by God’s grace that I managed to return with my daughter,” she said, adding that intervention from a relative at the Nigerian mission in Johannesburg eventually facilitated their departure.
Godwin also spoke about personal tragedy, claiming her husband was killed during her stay in South Africa, an incident she linked to broader insecurity and hostility faced by Nigerian migrants.
Her testimony comes amid renewed concerns over xenophobic attacks in parts of South Africa, which have previously triggered diplomatic tensions and evacuation exercises involving African nationals.
The evacuated Nigerians are expected to undergo profiling and reintegration support as they return to the country in batches coordinated by relevant agencies.
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