On Tuesday evening, 144 Ghanaian nationals touched down at Kotoka International Airport in Ghana. They were exhausted, traumatized, and grateful to be alive.

Their return, facilitated by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) under the Voluntary Humanitarian Return (VHR) Programme, marked the end of a nightmare that had trapped them in Libya’s brutal migrant detention system.

But for the nearly 1 million other migrants still in the North African transit hub, the nightmare continues.

According to the IOM’s Displacement Tracking Matrix, an estimated 936,134 migrants were present in Libya as of January–February 2026, representing a slight decrease from the record high of 939,638 recorded in November–December 2025. The unofficial number is believed to be much higher.

These migrants—predominantly from Sudan (36%), Niger (20%), Egypt (19%), and Chad (9%)—have converged on Libya in search of economic opportunity or as a launching point for the perilous Central Mediterranean crossing to Europe. Yet for the vast majority, Libya has become a prison, not a gateway.

84% Have No Legal Status

The numbers are staggering. A large majority of migrants in Libya lack legal documentation, with 84 per cent reporting no residency or work permits. This renders them virtually invisible to the state and uniquely vulnerable to exploitation, arbitrary detention, forced labor, and extortion.

Economic hardship remains the most widely reported challenge, affecting over two-thirds of migrants. But beyond poverty lies a systematic cruelty. Migrants are held in detention centres across the country—some 5,700 refugees and migrants are currently in official detention, with 3,300 of them vulnerable to ongoing fighting in and around Tripoli.

In September 2025, around 900 detainees—including 400 Sudanese and others from Bangladesh, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, and Somalia—were held in the Tobruk detention centre in a facility built for just 150. In February 2025, leaked videos showed the beating and whipping of migrants and asylum seekers, including children, by officials at the Ajdabiya detention facility.

The Deadliest Crossing on Earth

For those who escape detention and attempt the Mediterranean crossing, the odds are grim. The Central Mediterranean route remains the world’s deadliest migration corridor.

In 2026 alone, at least 865 people have already been reported dead or missing along the route. Around 765 of those deaths occurred in the Central Mediterranean—an increase of more than 150 per cent compared to the same period last year. Across the Mediterranean as a whole, at least 990 deaths have been recorded in 2026, making it one of the deadliest starts to a year since 2014.

“We are witnessing a horrifying surge in deaths at Europe’s doorstep,” said IOM Director General Amy Pope. “Saving lives must come first. But we also need stronger, unified efforts to stop traffickers and smugglers from exploiting vulnerable people.”

Ghana’s Lifeline—and Its Limits

The repatriation of 144 Ghanaians is a small but significant humanitarian victory. The returnees arrived in two batches on July 14, 2026, and were received by officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ghana Immigration Service, NADMO, Ministry of Gender, Department of Social Welfare, and the Ghana Health Service.

Upon arrival, they underwent immigration and health screening and received immediate humanitarian assistance including food, psychosocial support, and transportation. They will also be enrolled in reintegration programmes offering livelihood assistance, vocational skills training, and other socio-economic empowerment initiatives.

But 144 returnees represent a fraction of the Ghanaians still trapped. Seven evacuation flights have been scheduled to facilitate the return of stranded Ghanaians who have registered for the government-supported repatriation exercise. According to IOM Ghana, more than 8,000 Ghanaian migrants have been supported to return home voluntarily since 2017, including 2,077 in 2025 alone.

“Worse Than South Africa”

During a recent fact-finding mission to Libya, Member of Parliament for Kintampo South, Felicia Adjei, described the conditions endured by undocumented Ghanaian migrants in Libya as “worse than the current wave of anti-immigrant violence in South Africa”—a comparison that underscores the severity of the crisis.

The government has urged Ghanaians considering migration abroad to pursue safe, regular, and legal migration pathways, warning against the dangers posed by irregular migration and human smuggling networks.

A Crisis Without End

The IOM estimates that the number of migrants in Libya has grown by roughly 33 per cent since 2024, now representing about 13 per cent of Libya’s total population. Despite a decline in migration inflows and outflows in early 2026, the structural vulnerabilities facing migrants remain profound.

Mass graves have been discovered. Secret underground prisons have been uncovered. Air strikes have killed scores of migrants in their detention centres. And still, they come, driven by economic hardship, conflict, and the desperate hope of a better life.

For the 144 Ghanaians who made it home, the nightmare is over. For the 936,000 still trapped in Libya’s migrant hell, the journey continues.

A dispute over a beauty salon in South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal province has exploded into a viral talking point after a foreign business owner was captured on video destroying her own salon rather than surrendering it during a contested handover.

The dramatic footage, which has spread rapidly across social media, shows a woman identified as a Mozambican salon owner tearing down posters, pulling furniture across the floor, removing mirrors and damaging salon equipment while a crowd watched outside the premises. The incident has become the latest flashpoint in a growing debate about the treatment of foreign-owned businesses in South Africa and the rising tensions surrounding local ownership campaigns.

According to reports, the incident took place in eMthonjaneni, KwaZulu-Natal, after the woman was allegedly instructed by a South African business group to vacate the premises so another operator could take over the salon.

Video shared by Inakho Production captures the emotional confrontation. As people gathered outside, one man can reportedly be heard telling the salon owner to remove her belongings and hand over the keys to the building.

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A post shared by Ije-Luv (@ijeomadaisy)

Instead of leaving quietly, the woman allegedly began dismantling the business she had built.

“I would rather you have nothing at all after I destroy everything. If you want to kill me, come with a gun and shoot me,” she is heard saying while damaging mirrors, furniture and other equipment inside the salon.

The confrontation has sparked fierce reactions online, with some viewers expressing sympathy for the woman, while others argue that destroying the property only worsened an already difficult situation.

According to a representative of the business group involved in the dispute, efforts had initially been made to negotiate a peaceful transfer of the business to a prospective South African operator. The representative claimed the arrangement was intended to ensure the salon continued serving local customers while preserving employment opportunities.

The representative further alleged that the salon owner demanded R100,000 before agreeing to relinquish the business.

After inspecting the premises, the group reportedly valued the salon’s contents at around R10,000 and said that amount was offered instead. It was allegedly after those negotiations broke down that the woman began destroying equipment and fixtures inside the business.

These claims have not been independently verified, and the salon owner has not publicly responded to the allegations beyond what is seen in the widely circulated video.

The incident comes against the backdrop of growing tensions over foreign-owned businesses in South Africa. Campaigns advocating greater participation by South African citizens in sectors such as retail, salons, and small enterprises have gained momentum in recent years. At the same time, anti-immigrant sentiment has periodically flared, leading to protests, business closures and, in some cases, violence targeting foreign nationals.

The viral footage has reignited discussions about where the line lies between enforcing local business interests and protecting the rights of entrepreneurs who have invested in their communities, regardless of nationality.

As the debate continues across social media, many observers are also calling for authorities to establish the facts surrounding the dispute and clarify whether proper legal procedures were followed before the attempted handover.

At the time of writing, no official statement had been issued by law enforcement or local authorities regarding the incident, and the full circumstances surrounding the dispute remain unclear.

South African police are under mounting pressure to investigate the targeted killing of a senior March and March Movement leader, as the anti-immigration group vows to intensify its weekly protests despite a wave of death threats against its regional commanders.

Andile Mvuyelwa Somgxada, the movement’s Gauteng provincial leader, was shot while leaving his home in Greenfields, Ekurhuleni, on 4 July 2026. He was rushed to hospital, where he remained in critical care before succumbing to his injuries on 9 July.

National spokesperson Sandile Dube described Somgxada as “a dedicated and peace-loving patriotic South African” who remained committed to the movement’s campaign against undocumented migration. “He was rushed to hospital for medical treatment, where he fought for his life until the final hour on Thursday, July 9, 2026, when he was pronounced dead,” Dube said.

Wave of threats against regional leaders

The killing comes amid what the movement describes as a coordinated campaign of intimidation against its leadership structures across multiple provinces. According to Dube, the movement’s Tshwane regional leader received warning messages following a march held in Mamelodi on 9 July.

“Similar threats have also been received in Umlazi township in KwaZulu-Natal and in Mpumalanga province, all directed at March and March leaders,” Dube said.

The movement claims the threats originate from individuals who allegedly benefit from extortion, protection fees and other criminal enterprises linked to undocumented foreign nationals operating illegal businesses. These claims have not been independently verified.

“We call upon law enforcement authorities to get to the bottom of this matter, as it is bound to create unnecessary tension in various communities,” Dube said.

Movement vows to intensify protests

Despite the assassination and escalating threats, March and March has announced it will intensify its nationwide Thursday demonstrations, particularly in Gauteng Province, where it claims support for the campaign continues to grow.

The movement, which has become one of South Africa’s most visible anti-immigration groups over the past year, has organised demonstrations across several provinces calling for stronger immigration enforcement and action against undocumented foreign nationals.

“We call upon South Africans to stand up in defence of their country against drug cartels, extortionists disguised as security companies, drug dealers and human trafficking agents whose businesses are being disrupted by these continuous marches,” Dube said.

Immigration debate turns deadly

The assassination adds a volatile new dimension to South Africa’s increasingly polarising immigration debate. The March and March Movement, operating within a coalition of more than 20 anti-immigrant organisations, has mobilised nationwide demonstrations since setting a 30 June deadline for undocumented migrants to leave the country.

Those protests have repeatedly escalated into violence. At least two people were killed in Mossel Bay during anti-immigrant protests, while five people have died since protests began in April. Thousands of migrants, both documented and undocumented, have been driven from their homes, with businesses and property vandalised.

The Department of Home Affairs has intensified security raids, resulting in the arrest of thousands of undocumented migrants. More than 45,000 foreigners have reportedly left South Africa in recent months, returning to countries including Malawi, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Ghana and Nigeria.

Memorial and funeral arrangements

Dube confirmed that a memorial service for Somgxada is expected to be held in Gauteng later this week, while his funeral will take place in the Eastern Cape, subject to confirmation by his family.

“We call upon South Africans to honour the life of a fellow patriot and marcher, Mr Andile Mvuyelwa Somgxada, whose legacy will never be allowed to fade in vain,” Dube said.

Police under scrutiny

The South African Police Service (SAPS) has faced criticism over its handling of politically motivated violence, particularly following the establishment of specialised units in Gauteng to investigate political assassinations and organised crime. The killing of Somgxada is likely to test these mechanisms.

Police have not yet publicly commented on the investigation or confirmed whether any arrests have been made in connection with the assassination.

A nation on edge

With the movement vowing to continue its Thursday protests for four months leading up to municipal elections, and regional tensions already inflamed by the killing, South Africa faces an uncertain period. The government has maintained that immigration laws must be enforced within the framework of the Constitution and the rule of law, while condemning vigilantism.

But for the March and March Movement, the assassination of one of its own has only hardened its resolve. As Dube put it: “We will not be intimidated”.