The Federal Government has intensified the evacuation of Nigerians from South Africa, with 269 more citizens returning home aboard an Air Peace flight as authorities continue efforts to repatriate undocumented nationals.
According to a statement issued on Tuesday by the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa, the evacuation flight departed Johannesburg and arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos at 10:48 a.m.
The latest batch brings the total number of Nigerians evacuated to 335, following the return of 66 citizens on June 24 aboard a South African Airways flight sponsored by a Nigerian benefactor. The 269 returnees were accompanied by officials of the Nigerian High Commission in South Africa and were received at the airport by senior officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, led by the Director of the African Affairs Department, Ambassador Haruna Ali-Gombe.
During the reception, Ambassador Ali-Gombe conveyed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s message of goodwill and reassured the returnees of the Federal Government’s commitment to their welfare. He said the President remained committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of Nigerians living abroad and welcomed the returnees home.
The Ministry said the evacuation exercise is continuing following South Africa’s June 30 deadline for undocumented foreign nationals to leave the country. It disclosed that additional evacuation flights have already been scheduled to bring back more Nigerians who have completed the required screening process and voluntarily chosen to return home.
The Ministry reaffirmed that the Federal Government remains committed to evacuating all eligible Nigerians who wish to return and will continue engaging South African authorities to ensure the protection of Nigerians still residing in the country. The ongoing evacuation forms part of Nigeria’s broader response to South Africa’s immigration enforcement measures, with officials assuring that repatriation efforts will continue in the coming days.
