The Federal Government has evacuated 268 Nigerians from South Africa as part of its ongoing effort to rescue citizens affected by the recent wave of xenophobic attacks and anti-migrant violence in the country.
The latest group of returnees arrived safely at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, on Friday aboard a special Air Peace charter flight from Johannesburg.
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, disclosed that the flight carried 268 Nigerian returnees, along with two officers and crew members. She explained that the evacuation flight, funded by the Federal Government, departed O.R. Tambo International Airport at 5:36 a.m.
According to the minister, President Bola Tinubu directed that the evacuation exercise should continue even after the June 30, 2026, deadline earlier issued by anti-migrant groups in South Africa.
She noted that three previous evacuation flights had already returned nearly 600 Nigerians to the country before the deadline and assured that the operation remains open to all Nigerians who voluntarily registered, completed the necessary screening and were cleared for evacuation.
The minister reaffirmed the government's commitment to protecting Nigerians living abroad, describing the welfare and safety of citizens overseas as a key priority under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
She added that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs remains dedicated to ensuring that every eligible Nigerian who wishes to return home is safely evacuated.
The latest evacuation comes as anti-immigrant protests continue in parts of South Africa, where demonstrators have called for the removal of undocumented foreign nationals, accusing them of contributing to unemployment and placing pressure on public services.
The unrest has reportedly claimed at least four lives, while several African countries, including Nigeria, Ghana, Zimbabwe, Malawi, and Mozambique, have begun voluntary evacuation and repatriation programmes for their citizens.
The Nigerian government also disclosed that it plans to engage South African authorities on compensation for businesses and properties reportedly abandoned or damaged by Nigerians affected during the violence.
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