Another batch of Nigerians evacuated from South Africa amid continuous anti-migrant violence arrived safely at Lagos’ Murtala Muhammed International Airport on Friday as the federal government continued to bring home residents affected by the upheaval.
According to Minister of Foreign Affairs Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, the Air Peace charter flight from Johannesburg to Lagos carried 268 returnees, including two officers and crew members.
The federal government-funded special flight departed Oliver Tambo International Airport at 5:36 a.m., according to the minister.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu stated on her X handle that President Bola Tinubu directed the evacuation to continue despite the expiration of the June 30 ultimatum issued by anti-migrant groups in South Africa.
“The President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, has directed that the evacuation of Nigerian nationals from South Africa at risk as a result of the ongoing xenophobic protests and attacks continues, even after the deadline of 30th June 2026,” she said.
She mentioned that three earlier evacuation flights had already brought home nearly 600 Nigerians before the deadline, adding that the exercise remains ongoing for all citizens who voluntarily registered and were duly screened.
“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,” the minister said.
She underlined that protecting Nigerians overseas remains a top concern for the administration.
“Our Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in adherence to that unbreakable bond between citizen and state, remains dedicated to this mandate,” she added, describing the protection of Nigerians overseas as “a central pillar of the Renewed Hope Agenda.”
The evacuation comes as anti-immigrant protests have escalated across South Africa, with demonstrators demanding the removal of unauthorized foreign people, blaming them for unemployment and strain on public services.
The most recent wave of violence has apparently taken at least four deaths, while numerous African countries, including Nigeria, Ghana, Zimbabwe, Malawi, and Mozambique, have organized voluntary repatriation for their residents.
The Nigerian government has also stated that it intends to work with South African authorities to secure compensation for businesses and properties abandoned by impacted Nigerians.
