Metro

After xenophobic attacks, South Africa deports 100 Nigerians

Published

7 years ago

March 1, 2017

After xenophobia attacks, South Africa deports 100 Nigerians

While NIgeria is still trying to come to terms over xenophobic attacks on its citizens in South Africa, the latter on Tuesday night deported about 100 Nigerians.

The deportees landed at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in a chartered aircraft with registration number GBB710 from Johannesburg.

Spokesman of the Lagos Airport Police Command, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Joseph Alabi, while confirming that the deportees were being debriefed, also revealed that they were made up of 95 males, two females and three toddlers.

It was learnt that 6 of the returnees were alleged having drug-related offences with South African authorities, while 12 were arrested and deported for other criminal offences, including non renewal of residence papers.

They however denied ever having any immigration offences in South Africa.

Their personal data and other relevant information were profiled by officials of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS).

“It is from there that those of them deported for drug-related offences would be handed over to the relevant agencies for further investigation,” a desk officer said.

Some of the deportees, however, said they were randomly picked from various cities and locations before being bundled into the next available aircraft that brought them home.

The Foreign Affairs Ministry declined commenting on the development, citing the yet-to-be resolved xenophobia attacks on Nigerians in South Africa since mid February, 2017 as a reason.

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