Our Pains, Tears, Fear In South Africa – Nigerian Immigrants

Nigerians who travelled to South Africa in search of greener pastures are biting their fingers after the xenophobic attacks began in that country about two weeks ago.
The lucky Nigerians who have not been attacked said they are still suffering because their freedom has been restricted.
They said they could neither work nor walk along the streets of Johannesburgh and Durban.
They also told pathetic stories of how some Nigerians were either tortured or killed during such xenophobic attacks.
Nnamdi Onyekachi, who hails from Orlu in Imo State but resides in Johannesburgh, South Africa, told LEADERSHIP on phone that the South Africa of today is different from what he saw when he arrived the country in 1997.
Onyekachi said the country was a home for all before and the people diplayed great measure of hospitality until the Swazulu king made the ‘satanic’ utterances.
The king was reported to have incited South Africans against their black African brothers who were visitors to the country.
The king wondered why other African nationals should come to their country and take over the jobs his subjects should have been doing.
He also accused the foreign nationals of involving in different forms of criminality or dastardly acts.
Onyekachi said, “My brother, please tell the Nigerian government to act now. They should sent jets or naval ships to take us away from South Africa.
“So many other nationals have been evacuated, so why is Nigerian government wasting time? Are they waiting until they kill all Nigerians in South Africa before they would evacuate our dead bodies if they did not set us ablaze? I cannot come out to buy food. I thank God I’m married to a South African. We have two lovely children, one boy and one girl. So, my wife would go out to purchase whatever we want to buy and eat. As for my buying and selling business in South Africa, I could not proceed because I have to move on the way and communicate with South Africans.
“Let our government know that the South Africans have killed and maimed many of its citizens. They would kill some people and set them ablaze so that you will not know where he or she comes from. Enough is enough. I want to return home but could not take the risk of leaving my apartment. They stoned a man called Nnamdi to death in Johannesburgh. His close friend, David called me on phone that he was ambushed and attacked when he was looking for somewhere to buy food. Another man, Ayodele escaped death by the whiskers as he was stabbed in the back and he managed to escape from his attackers. Ayodele said he ran like the famous Ben Johnson. How long should we continue to run? Now, I’m fed up with this country and I want to return home. The streets are not safe to move. That’s the problem!”
Andrew Isuman who hails from Edo State said he lives in Durban.
He disclosed that many foreigners have been killed including Nigerians.
He showered encomiums on his South African lover who hid him in her room. “If not for my girlfriend who comes from Soweto in South Africa, I would have been killed by now. Angel hid me in her apartment. We live close to each other in Durban. I don’t have to tell you any address because talking to the media is a risk. They could trail somebody, using information they got from the media. I want to tell you that Nigerians are living in fear in South Africa. Tell our government that we are even sick and tired of South Africa and we are ready to return to our country. We don’t want to die in another man’s land. South Africans are ingrates. Nigerian government had helped the blacks and today, they are paying us with torture and death penalty.
I’m a businessman in South Africa. We’ve heard how Nigerian government supported the blacks in South Africa with scores of billions of naira in the 1960s. We heard of how the first Nigerian president, Nnamdi Azikiwe assisted Nelson Mandela and even gave him accommodation. We know that the South African government did not accord President Goodluck Jonathan the respect he deserved as the president of my country during the burial of Nelson Mandela. They failed to recall what Nigeria did for them during the apartheid era. Our government should protect us in South Africa or sever whatever relationship with this country that hates aliens.”
Moses Ogamba who also lives in Durban also spoke on phone with LEADERSHIP: “I want to return home to my country, Nigeria. My family is worried. They want me to return and I also want to return but there is no way to escape from my street. They have killed so many people including Nigerians. So far you are not from South Africa, you are an enemy. So, where do we go from here? How do I escape? I cried when I heard of how they slaughtered one Jude from Niger Delta. I was crying over my safety. I was crying over my family in Nigeria. I was crying over the assistance Nigerian government rendered to South Africa during the apartheid era. If one makes the mistake of walking on the streets, they could kill the person. So, I’m still hiding.”