Nigerian Returnee Recounts Narrow Escape From Xenophobic Attack in South Africa

Jamyou Sanni, a Nigerian returnee from South Africa, recently shared his harrowing near-death experience during an appearance on Vanguard’s The Nigerian Metre Podcast. Sanni recounted being targeted outside a bar simply because a local woman approached him while he was relaxing, stating, “I was in a bar one day when a lady came close to me. You know, just a situation where a lady would come close to you because she sees that you are chilling.”

Ambushed by a group of local men after leaving the venue, Sanni said the violent assault could have been fatal had it not been for a timely intervention. He noted that “it was another South African, a white man who is a police officer, that shot from his apartment upstairs, and that made them disperse. They could have killed me that day.”

Despite the hostility he faced, Sanni emphasized that not all residents are aggressive and dismissed widespread misconceptions regarding foreigners. Addressing claims that Nigerians steal local jobs or partners, he asserted, “It’s not true that we take their jobs or women. Throughout my stay, I was never employed. I rather employed people.”

He further argued that South African women often prefer Nigerian partners because “Nigerian men take care of them more than South African men.” Concluding his remarks on local employment, Sanni maintained that jobs remain accessible for those willing to work, lamenting that “it is sad that what they do now is what they think is a job — chasing foreigners away.”