Fresh Twist In Nigeria-South Africa Row As FG REJECTS Claim Over Deportation Reimbursement

The clarification followed revelations by South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs that it had written to Nigeria, Malawi and Ethiopia seeking refunds for part of the R292.77 million (about $18 million) spent on accommodating, transporting and repatriating deportees and voluntary returnees.

Speaking to Vanguard, spokesperson for Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa, said the Nigerian government had not received any official document concerning the alleged reimbursement request.

Ebienfa stated, “It is not true, we have not received any document to that effect.”

When asked whether South Africa had responded to Nigeria’s request for compensation over Nigerians who were forced to leave the country, the ministry spokesperson said no response had been received so far.

Nigeria’s Consul General in South Africa, Ninikanwa Okey-Uche, also confirmed that the Nigerian diplomatic mission in Pretoria had not received any reimbursement demand from the South African government.

The controversy followed comments by South Africa’s Home Affairs Director-General, Tommy Makhode, who told the Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs that his department had spent about R292 million on the repatriation operation.

The expenditure was significantly higher than the department’s R60 million budget for deportation-related activities in the current year.

Makhode described the additional spending as unexpected, unavoidable and an unfunded mandate, arguing that the repatriation exercise was not adequately covered under the existing legislative framework.

He said the South African government had contacted the governments of Malawi, Nigeria and Ethiopia through the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) to seek reimbursement for the expenses.

Makhode said, “We have also written to the governments of Malawi, and, of course, the embassies of Nigeria and Ethiopia to request for reimbursements of these costs through the Department of International Relations and Cooperation, DIRCO.”

He added, “We are expecting responses from those governments.”

According to the South African official, a significant portion of the funds was spent on hiring buses to transport migrants, operating temporary repatriation centres and paying overtime to staff.

He further disclosed that some municipalities and other government agencies that provided assistance during the operation had also approached the Home Affairs Department seeking reimbursement for their expenses.