The Nigerian government will not offer financial help to hundreds of citizens who are set to return to the country following a wave of xenophobic violence in South Africa.
More than 600 Nigerians will return in the coming days, the chair of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri, told reporters on Monday.
She said the country’s mission in South Africa would continue to offer emergency travel certificates to any Nigerians whose documents have expired.
Ms Dabiri also called for the South African government to pay compensation to any Nigerians affected by the unrest.
Some of the group will leave on two flights on Wednesday, Nigeria's Consul General in Johannesburg, Godwin Adama, told the BBC. Only those who were under distress as a result of the attacks would leave the country, he added.
Twelve people, including two foreigners, have killed in the city since the start of September as mobs attacked foreign-owned businesses.
Meanwhile, Nigeria sent a special envoy to South Africa to meet with the country’s president.
The envoy, Ahmed Rufai Abubakar, expressed "deep concern" about the recent unrest.
South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa "agreed that the violence was most disconcerting and embarrassing,” according to a statement from the Nigerian government.
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