“It’s Not Safe Anymore”: Nigerian Father in SA Speaks on Rising Xenophobia Fears

• A Nigerian-born South African says his children are being bullied at school amid rising anti-immigrant tensions in the country
• Peter Odike says that despite being naturalised in 2006, his family continues to face harassment and fear, forcing him to shut down parts of his business
• He urged South Africans to direct their frustrations at the government rather than at vulnerable foreign nationals

SOUTH AFRICA — A Nigerian-born South African, Peter Odike, says his children are being bullied at school amid rising anti-immigrant tensions in South Africa.

Odike, who was naturalised in 2006, said that gaining citizenship has not protected him from harassment and fear linked to recent protests targeting foreign nationals.

Nigeria speaks of rising fears amid the protests

In an interview with BBC Africa, Odike said the current situation in South Africa has forced him to shut down parts of his business due to safety concerns.

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“My kids are being bullied in school, and I have to be the one comforting them,” he said. “Some people don’t have knowledge. Even when you show them papers, they ask why you are here and tell you to go back,” he said.

Odike, who is married to a South African, said his family still faces attacks and harassment despite his legal status. He added:

“It’s not safe anymore to stay here. Police harass people every day. Even when you have documents, it’s still a problem because once you don’t look like a South African, you are treated differently.”

Protests linked to unemployment

BBC Africa reports that South Africa’s unemployment rate of around 30% is one of the factors contributing to rising tensions, with some communities blaming foreign nationals for job losses.

During the coverage, a protester said,

“People who are here are committing crimes. We don’t have their fingerprints, they are not documented, that is why we have people committing crimes and they are unaccounted for.”

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Several African governments, including Ghana and Nigeria, have urged South Africa to ensure the protection of immigrants amid growing unrest.

International relations expert Vladimir Antwi Danso warned that repeated protests are a worrying sign, saying authorities must respond more decisively to prevent continued instability.

Odike has called for calm, urging South Africans to direct their frustrations at the government rather than foreign nationals.

“Protest the government. We have the same problems as South Africans. We are vulnerable here. We are trying to pick up our lives,” he said.

See the BBC Africa video here:

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Nigeria’s Acting High Commissioner in South Africa, Alexander Temitope Ajay, has denied that the recent anti-illegal immigration march targeted Nigerians. He also said that Nigerians in South Africa are not in danger and slammed social media narratives suggesting that foreign nationals were attacked during the protests in April 2026. Ajay said the relations between Nigeria and South Africa are cordial, and Nigeria appreciates that President Cyril Ramaphosa clarified that South Africans are obligated to treat Africans as one.

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Nigerian embassy expresses its love for SA

Previously, Briefly News reported that the Nigerian Embassy in South Africa expressed its appreciation for the South African culture as tensions between South Africans and Nigerians over the installation of a Nigerian King in the Eastern Cape spilt over into violence. Members of the Nigerian Embassy engaged with protesters outside the Nigerian Embassy in Pretoria on 31 March 2026.

Source: Briefly News