Xenophobia: FG Evacuates 282 More Nigerians From South Africa, Total Returnees Hit 1,141

The Federal Government has evacuated another 282 Nigerians from South Africa as part of its ongoing repatriation programme following renewed xenophobic attacks targeting foreign nationals in the country.

The latest batch of evacuees arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, on Thursday night aboard an Air Peace flight, bringing the total number of Nigerians returned under the government-backed evacuation exercise to 1,141.

The repatriation programme was launched after a fresh wave of anti-immigrant violence and protests erupted in several South African communities, prompting hundreds of Nigerians to seek assistance to return home.

Government officials said more than 1,000 Nigerians had earlier registered their interest in the voluntary evacuation programme coordinated by the Federal Government.

Ahead of the latest airlift, the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, urged Nigerians still stranded in South Africa to take advantage of the evacuation exercise.

She assured affected citizens that the government remained committed to ensuring that every registered Nigerian willing to return home would be evacuated safely.

"The Federal Government will ensure that no Nigerian who has indicated interest in returning home is left behind," the minister said.

Her appeal came after reports confirmed the deaths of two additional Nigerians in South Africa, raising the official death toll from the latest wave of xenophobic violence to four.

Some of the evacuees, however, claimed that the actual number of casualties could be higher than officially reported.

Although South African rights groups had earlier announced an unofficial June 30 deadline for undocumented migrants to leave the country, Nigeria has continued its evacuation exercise to assist citizens affected by the unrest.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the airlift programme is now entering its final phase.

The ministry's spokesperson, Kimiebi Ebienfa, confirmed that the fifth and final evacuation flight is expected to arrive in Nigeria next week, bringing the emergency operation to a close.

"The fifth flight will arrive in Nigeria next week," Ebienfa said.

Despite the ongoing evacuation, the Federal Government said it would continue engaging South African authorities through diplomatic channels to safeguard the lives and rights of Nigerians living in the country.

The government also reiterated its commitment to providing assistance for citizens affected by the recent violence while pursuing long-term diplomatic solutions aimed at preventing future attacks on Nigerians and other African nationals residing in South Africa.