The Federal Government has received the first batch of 268 Nigerians evacuated from South Africa following renewed xenophobic attacks targeting foreign nationals in the country.
The evacuees arrived on Thursday at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, aboard an Air Peace evacuation flight and were received on behalf of the government by the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Sola Enikanolaiye.
The returnees were accompanied back to Nigeria by the Acting High Commissioner of Nigeria in Pretoria, Alexander Ajayi, as part of ongoing diplomatic efforts to assist citizens who opted for voluntary return amid rising tensions and reported attacks on foreigners.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the screening and registration exercise for Nigerians willing to return has been extended to June 14 to accommodate more applicants still seeking evacuation.
The ministry also confirmed that relevant government agencies have activated coordinated arrangements for the reception, documentation, profiling, and support of the returnees upon arrival.
Speaking on the process, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa, said the returnees would undergo documentation and profiling to determine the type of assistance required, including educational placement for students and medical support where necessary.
Ebienfa explained, “The first step is documentation, followed by profiling. During the profiling process, we will determine those who need to be placed in relevant schools in Nigeria. For Nigerian students in South Africa who are returning home and discontinuing their education there, the Federal Ministry of Education will be responsible for placing them in appropriate institutions, whether universities or unity schools, as the case may be.”
He added that healthcare support would also be provided for returnees requiring medical attention, noting that relevant agencies had been mobilised to ensure proper coordination.
The Federal Government reiterated that the evacuation exercise underscores its commitment to protecting Nigerian citizens abroad and providing timely intervention in situations where their safety is threatened.
