A group of frustrated Nigerians in South Africa have openly criticized the Nigerian government over delays in their evacuation, with some calling on President Bola Tinubu to resign if he is unable to address their plight.
The outburst was captured in a viral video circulating on social media, showing a heated exchange between a government representative and Nigerians awaiting evacuation from South Africa.
In the video, a federal government agent attempted to encourage the stranded citizens to express appreciation to the President for ongoing efforts to facilitate their return home.
“I want to hear you say, ‘Thank you, Mr. President.
“We see the good things you are doing, and we are just pleading with you to fast-track it,'” the official was heard telling the crowd.
However, the appeal was met with strong resistance from some of the Nigerians present.
They questioned why they should thank the government when, according to them, they had been left stranded after responding to official instructions to assemble for evacuation.
One visibly angry man compared Nigeria’s response with those of other African countries, claiming that Malawi, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique had already begun evacuating their citizens.
“Thank him for what?” the man asked. “Malawi has steadily taken its people home.
“Zimbabwe has steadily taken its people home. Mozambique is taking its people home.
“Our people were asked to leave their homes and come here to be evacuated, but now they are stranded.”
The speaker alleged that many Nigerians had made significant sacrifices in anticipation of returning home, including terminating rental agreements and disposing of personal belongings.
“People sold the little things they had. House rent here is paid monthly.
“Many told their landlords they would not be renewing their rent and moved out, only to be stranded,” he said.
He further lamented that women and children had been left waiting under difficult conditions during the South African winter after responding to the government’s directive.
“You asked people to come out. Women and children came out in winter, and they are stranded here,” he said.
The criticism soon turned political as the speaker accused Nigerian leaders of neglecting citizens abroad while focusing on domestic political interests.
“Politicians are there in Nigeria arguing and satisfying themselves, while these people are left here with no hope,” he stated.
In one of the strongest remarks in the video, the man suggested that President Tinubu should step aside if he could not effectively govern the country or protect Nigerians overseas.
“We sent you there to do a job.
“If you feel you cannot do the job, resign so that somebody who can fix Nigeria will take over,” he said.
The speaker also argued that the government’s inability to promptly address the situation reflected broader governance challenges.
“If Tinubu cannot fix Nigeria at home, then he cannot help Nigerians in the diaspora. So why do we say we have a government?” he asked.
He concluded by expressing frustration that other African governments were reportedly evacuating their citizens.
Meanwhile, Nigerians remained stranded despite assurances from authorities.
The Federal Government has yet to publicly respond to the specific allegations raised in the video.
However, the footage has continued to generate reactions online.
Many social media users are debating the government’s handling of Nigerians facing difficulties abroad.
The circumstances that prompted the evacuation request and the number of Nigerians affected could not be independently verified at the time of filing this report.
