Skip to main content

130 Nigerians seek repatriation after latest anti-immigration protests in South Africa

ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — Nigeria will repatriate 130 Nigerians living in South Africa after a new wave of anti-immigration protests in that country, according to the foreign minister, who summoned South Africa’s top representative there on Monday to express concern.

Nigeria’s foreign minister, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, described the repatriation effort as voluntary and said more people were expected to sign up.

Odumegwu-Ojukwu was meeting with South Africa’s acting high commissioner to convey the Nigerian government’s “profound concern.”

No Nigerians were killed in last week’s protests against migrants in South Africa, who have been targeted over the years and accused of taking jobs in a country with high unemployment.

South African officials have condemned the violence and promised to crack down on “xenophobic acts.”

Separately, South Africa’s foreign minister, Ronald Lamola, said he had a phone conversation with his Nigerian counterpart to reflect on the “challenges posed by irregular migration” and work to address the causes and find solutions.

Two Nigerians were killed in separate incidents with South African security operatives last month. After Monday’s meeting, the spokesperson for Nigeria’s foreign ministry said the West African nation has requested an investigation into their deaths and seeks cooperation “in providing autopsy reports” for the families of the deceased.

Heat catches Europe’s fashion industry unprepared as models face the sun in fur and wool

PARIS (AP) — The most coveted accessory at the Paris Fashion Week shows this week was not a bag, a sneaker or a watch. It was an ice pack. As a historic heat wave gripped the French capital, fashion houses fought to keep guests cool with mist machines, chilled towels, parasols and iced Evian on silver platters. It wasn’t enough. Historic venues sweltered, guests were packed in tight, air conditioning was absent or inadequate and water ran short — at one house, organizers weighed serving none at all, having found only plastic bottles to hand out. That mattered because Paris Fashion Week is not a minor cultural event.
Read Next Story