No fewer than 268 Nigerians evacuated from South Africa following renewed xenophobic attacks and anti-migrant protests arrived in Nigeria on Friday as the Federal Government intensified efforts to bring home citizens who voluntarily opted to leave the Southern African country.
The latest batch was airlifted aboard an Air Peace charter flight arranged by the Federal Government. According to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu Ojukwu, the aircraft departed O.R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg at 5:36 a.m. carrying 268 returnees, alongside two officials and crew members.
The minister said the evacuation exercise was ordered by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu following escalating anti-migrant protests and attacks in South Africa, despite the June 30 deadline issued by anti-migrant groups and vigilantes.
She disclosed that nearly 600 Nigerians had already been evacuated in three earlier batches before the deadline, adding that the government would continue the operation until all registered Nigerians willing to return had been safely repatriated.
According to her, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs remains committed to protecting Nigerians abroad and ensuring that citizens facing threats are given the necessary support to return home safely.
“The evacuations remain ongoing. The Federal Government is committed to bringing home safely our nationals who voluntarily registered to be evacuated and have been duly screened and cleared,” she stated.
South Africa has witnessed weeks of anti-immigrant demonstrations, with thousands of protesters demanding the removal of undocumented foreign nationals. The protests, led by citizen groups, have been accompanied by isolated incidents of violence, looting and confrontations with security forces.
Authorities in South Africa have confirmed that at least four people have died during the latest wave of unrest, while several African countries, including Nigeria, Ghana, Zimbabwe, Malawi and Mozambique, have commenced voluntary evacuation programmes for their citizens.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian government has indicated that it will engage the South African authorities on compensation for returnees who abandoned businesses, homes and other valuable assets because of the violence.
Acting Nigerian High Commissioner to South Africa, Alexander Ajayi, had earlier said affected Nigerians were being encouraged to document all abandoned properties to facilitate discussions with the South African government on possible compensation.
