The Federal Government has said Nigeria might consider retaliatory measures following xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in South Africa that has necessitated repatriation of those that wish to return home.
Meanwhile, the government said the repatriation flights for Nigerians, scheduled to begin today, was delayed because of documentation and screening in cooperation with South African authorities.
The screening exercise for over 1,000 Nigerian citizens in South Africa that began last Thursday was to conclude on Saturday, with the repatriation flight scheduled for today, Monday.
However, speaking with State House correspondents at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, said arrangements to evacuate Nigerian citizens, who want to return, are being finalised.
Asked whether Nigeria might retaliate by restricting privileges for South Africans in Nigeria, Ambassador Ojukwu did not rule out punitive responses.
She said: “Well, that is a situation that we are considering. This is up to our legislature. This is a decision that has to be taken at the highest level of government.
“But it’s not off the table.
“Nigeria is not happy because Nigeria has sacrificed much for the South African struggle for independence.
“Nigeria sacrificed quite a lot, committed funds, committed resources to aid South Africa. In schools, seats were reserved for South African students. My own generation carried placards; we demonstrated in front of South African assets.
“Sometimes we even got arrested for doing this.
“Nigeria is a serious frontline state, and Nigerians are not happy about how they have been treated. They are not asking other migrants to leave; they’re only asking black migrants to leave.”
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