By OKOSUN DENNIS
In the height of xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in South Africa, no fewer than 97 Nigerians were repatriated on Monday night.
National Daily learnt that the 95 males and two females were deported as a result of their involvement in drug related offences and other criminal conduct.
The deportees were said to have landed at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos in a chartered aircraft with the registration number GBB710 from Johannesburg, SA.
DSP Joseph Alabi, the spokesman of the Lagos Airport Police Command, has confirmed their arrival but added that they were deported due to drug offences while 10 were arrested and deported for other criminal offences.
DSP Alabi further added that other returnees allegedly committed immigration offences in South Africa.
In another development, Republic of Mali, also deported 41 Nigerian girls from Bamako on Monday night.
It was alleged that the girls were trafficked to Mali for sex and labour exploitation. However, six of the suspected traffickers were unlucky as they were also arrested and deported with other ladies.
In the last couple of months, over 200 Nigerians have been deported from Libya and UK.