Another 268 Nigerians evacuated from South Africa as repatriation continues — FG
The Federal Government has announced the commencement of another evacuation of Nigerian nationals from South Africa, saying the latest batch of returnees is expected to arrive in Lagos on Friday as efforts to bring home citizens affected by ongoing xenophobic attacks continue.
The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, disclosed this in a statement issued on Friday.
According to the minister, the evacuation flight, coordinated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and funded by the Federal Government, departed O. R. Tambo International Airport at 5:36 a.m. aboard an Air Peace aircraft and is scheduled to land at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport at 10:40 a.m.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu said 268 Nigerian returnees, alongside two officers and members of the flight crew, were on board the special evacuation flight.
She explained that the latest operation followed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s directive that the evacuation of Nigerians facing threats in South Africa should continue beyond the June 30, 2026 deadline earlier issued by anti-migrant groups and vigilantes.
The minister noted that before the expiration of the deadline, the Federal Government had successfully evacuated nearly 600 Nigerians from South Africa in three separate batches.
She said officials of relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies would receive the returnees on arrival in Lagos to carry out documentation, profiling and other necessary procedures.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu stressed that the evacuation exercise would continue until all Nigerians who voluntarily registered for repatriation and had completed the required screening process were safely returned home.
She reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to protecting Nigerians abroad, describing the safety and welfare of citizens outside the country as a key priority of the administration.
“The Federal Government is committed to bringing home safely our nationals who voluntarily registered to be evacuated and have been duly screened and cleared.
“Our Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in adherence to that unbreakable bond between citizen and state, remains dedicated to this mandate. The protection of our citizens abroad remains our priority, a central pillar of the Renewed Hope Agenda. The dignity of our citizens abroad matters, and we remain committed to upholding it,” the minister said.
