THERE are strong indications that a massive clampdown of Nigerians resident in South Africa looms as the government of the country is about de­porting thousands of Nigerian citizens.

On Wednesday February 3, 2016, South African police detectives rounded up Nigerian nationals living in Kempton Park in an early morning raid. How­ever, the incident which began like a script from a movie has taken a sinister dimension as the detainees have been transferred to Lindela Prison.

Reports monitored in Lagos revealed that the bulk of the detainees are citi­zens of Nigerian in their thousands.

The prison located in Krugersdorp, West Johannesburg is a deportation cen­tre which in theory is the last address of anybody brought there before they are deported from South Africa.

In August 2014, a High Court in Johannesburg ruled as unlawful and unconstitutional, the detention of for­eign nationals at the Lindela Prison.

One of the wrongfully detained Nigerian who spoke to Sunday Sun from Lindela Prison, disclosed that the bulk of the detainees are citizens of Nigeria with a sprinkling of Zim­babweans and Congolese nationals.

“We are beaten and dehumanised by the South Africa Police who told us that they hate Nigeria and her citizens.

“They have refused to renew our papers, our lives are in serious danger because they have resorted to drug­ging the foods they bring to us.

“As Nigerians, we face constant police brutality and hatred. It is sad that we are going through this harrowing experiences because we are Nigerian nationals.”

A fortnight ago, a similar action by the South African police led to the un­timely death of a 33-year-old Nigerian, Daniel Chinedu Timothy. (Sun)

•Photo shows Nigerians in South Africa fleeing from a xenophobic attack.