The Federal Government of Nigeria has successfully evacuated another batch of 271 Nigerian citizens from South Africa, with their flight scheduled to arrive in Lagos on Friday.
This operation forms part of the ongoing voluntary repatriation programme initiated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in response to renewed xenophobic tensions and anti-immigration sentiments affecting Nigerian nationals in South Africa.
The evacuees, who volunteered to return home for safety, will arrive at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) aboard an Air Peace aircraft. Upon arrival, they will undergo necessary immigration and medical processing and receive immediate support from government agencies.
This latest batch brings the total number of Nigerians evacuated under the current exercise to over 500. The government continues to monitor the situation in South Africa closely and stands ready to facilitate the return of additional citizens who wish to come home.
Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, assured that the Federal Government remains committed to the welfare and safety of all Nigerians abroad. Relevant agencies, including the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), have been mobilized to provide reintegration support, including counselling, temporary shelter where needed, and linkages to empowerment programmes.
“Nigeria will always protect and support her citizens wherever they are. We urge those still in South Africa facing threats to take advantage of this voluntary repatriation window,” the Minister stated.
The Federal Government also called for calm and diplomatic engagement between Nigeria and South Africa to address the root causes of these recurring tensions.