The first batch of Nigerians evacuated from South Africa following renewed xenophobic attacks has arrived in Lagos.
The 262 returnees arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, aboard an evacuation flight operated by Air Peace as part of the Federal Government’s repatriation efforts.
The exercise was coordinated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in collaboration with relevant government agencies to bring back Nigerians affected by recent attacks and anti-immigrant tensions in South Africa.
Officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), and security agencies were present at the airport to receive the returnees.
The evacuees are expected to undergo documentation, profiling, and necessary assessments before being reunited with their families.
Government officials said the process would help identify their needs and provide appropriate support following their return.
The evacuation followed rising concerns over attacks targeting foreign nationals and foreign-owned businesses in parts of South Africa, which caused many Nigerians to seek safety and return home.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, had earlier explained that the Federal Government initiated the evacuation due to safety concerns among affected Nigerians.
She said the government would continue engaging relevant South African authorities to protect Nigerian citizens and address issues surrounding the attacks.
The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye, represented the government during the reception of the returnees at the Lagos airport.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu was reportedly absent as she was attending diplomatic engagements in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, concerning the possible transfer of Nigerian inmates from Ethiopian correctional facilities back to Nigeria.
Other African countries, including Ghana, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Kenya, and Malawi, have also evacuated some of their citizens from South Africa following the renewed violence.
The Federal Government said more evacuation flights may be arranged for Nigerians willing to return, depending on the situation and ongoing assessments.
