The first group of Nigerians evacuated from South Africa following the recent xenophobic attacks has landed in Lagos.
On Thursday, 268 returnees arrived at Murtala Muhammed International Airport on an Air Peace flight organized by the Federal Government as part of its repatriation efforts.
The evacuation flight, which was originally scheduled to depart on Monday, was delayed until Wednesday due to documentation and processing complications before finally taking off.
The new repatriation exercise comes amid mounting concerns about the safety of Nigerians residing in South Africa, where stories of xenophobic violence have pushed many foreign nationals to seek aid in returning to their home countries.
The Federal Government stated that more than 1,000 Nigerians have expressed a desire to leave South Africa and return home, with additional evacuation flights planned in the coming days.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, has previously stated that the number of Nigerians requesting repatriation was constantly increasing.
She stated that the Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria has contacted South African authorities to facilitate the return of impacted people, including those with immigration concerns.
According to the minister, plans were made to allow Nigerians with outstanding immigration difficulties to travel aboard evacuation planes rather than being detained.
To organize the process, the Nigerian Mission in South Africa began vetting and documenting potential returnees.
The exercise, which was originally intended to expire over the weekend, was later extended to accommodate the increasing number of applicants.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated on Wednesday that the extension demonstrated the government’s commitment to preserving Nigerians’ welfare and interests overseas.
“This underscores the priority accorded to the protection of Nigerian citizens overseas, which remains a central pillar of Nigeria’s foreign policy and a core responsibility of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,” the statement reads.
The arrival of the first batch is the start of what officials call a larger effort to assist Nigerians affected by the disturbance and assure their safe return home.
