Another 268 Evacuated Nigerians Return from South Africa as Repatriation Continues

Another group of Nigerians evacuated from South Africa has arrived safely in Lagos as the Federal Government continues its efforts to bring home citizens affected by ongoing anti-migrant violence.

A chartered Air Peace flight carrying 268 returnees, along with two officials and crew members, landed at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport on Friday after departing Johannesburg.

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, said the evacuation was ordered by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who directed that the exercise should continue even after the June 30 deadline previously announced by anti-migrant groups in South Africa.

According to the minister, three earlier evacuation flights had already returned nearly 600 Nigerians, while the government remains committed to evacuating all citizens who voluntarily registered and completed the required screening process.

She reaffirmed that protecting Nigerians abroad remains a top priority and described the safety of citizens overseas as a key part of the administration's agenda.

The latest evacuation comes as anti-immigrant protests continue across South Africa, with demonstrators blaming undocumented migrants for unemployment and pressure on public services. The unrest has reportedly claimed at least four lives, prompting several African countries, including Nigeria, Ghana, Zimbabwe, Malawi, and Mozambique, to organise voluntary repatriation flights for their citizens.

The Nigerian government has also announced plans to engage South African authorities on compensation for businesses and properties abandoned by affected Nigerians.

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