Nigerians living in South Africa say they are facing another surge of xenophobic attacks, with community leaders accusing the anti-immigrant group Operation Dudula of shutting foreigners out of hospitals and other public services.

Disturbing accounts from affected residents reveal women being forced to give birth on bare hospital floors, while others are discharged without medical attention.

Frank Onyekwelu, head of the Nigerian Citizens Association in South Africa, described the situation as “a fresh outbreak of xenophobia” and called for urgent intervention from both the Nigerian and South African governments. He explained that while some who can afford private clinics are seeking care there, Nigerian doctors have also stepped in to help stranded patients.

The President of the Nigerian Union in South Africa, Smart Nwobi, added that the campaign had reached dangerous levels, citing incidents where mothers were denied entry to hospitals for their children’s immunisations. He insisted that Operation Dudula has no authority to restrict public services and urged authorities to deploy security around hospitals and clinics.

Operation Dudula, which brands itself as a movement against illegal immigration and job losses, has been staging raids and blocking foreigners from public spaces. Critics argue the group’s actions amount to outright criminality and afrophobia.

Former Nigerian diplomats echoed these concerns. Ex-ambassador Rasheed Akinkuolie denounced the actions as “illegal and apartheid-minded,” questioning why Africans are being targeted instead of the white minority that historically oppressed South Africans. Another retired envoy, Ogbole Amedu-Ode, warned that the ongoing harassment could sour Nigeria–South Africa relations and weaken continental unity.

Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that African envoys in Pretoria are already in talks with the South African government. Diaspora groups, meanwhile, are weighing legal options, including taking the matter to the country’s High Court.

For many Nigerians, however, daily life has become extremely tense. “The hostility is too much,” said Ify Eze, who recently moved to South Africa and recalled being mocked as “a crazy Nigerian” by an immigration officer on arrival.