FG To Seek Compensation From South Africa Over Nigerians’ Abandoned Properties

The Federal Government says it will seek compensation from South Africa for businesses and properties abandoned by Nigerians who returned home under the voluntary evacuation programme.

Vanguard and Daily Trust reported that Nigeria’s Acting High Commissioner to South Africa, Alexander Ajayi, disclosed the plan during an interview on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief.

Ajayi said the government had started documenting businesses, cars and other assets left behind by returnees. Daily Trust reported that he said the records would guide discussions with the South African government on possible compensation.

Vanguard reported that 269 more Nigerians arrived in Lagos in the latest evacuation flight, taking the total number of repatriated Nigerians to 603. Daily Trust reported a similar evacuation update, saying another batch of returnees arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos aboard an Air Peace aircraft.

The compensation move follows renewed anti-immigrant tension in South Africa and the evacuation of Nigerians who chose to return home before planned protests by some anti-immigration groups.

Ajayi rejected claims that most Nigerians in South Africa were undocumented. Daily Trust reported that he said many entered the country legally but were affected by delays in the renewal of immigration documents.

NaijaTrend earlier reported the evacuation of another batch of Nigerians from South Africa here. The latest reports move the story from evacuation logistics to the question of whether affected Nigerians can recover losses from businesses and properties they left behind.

The reports did not state that South Africa had agreed to pay compensation. They said Nigeria planned to compile records and engage South African authorities on possible compensation for affected returnees.

Sources: Vanguard, Daily Trust