FG moves to evacuate citizens from South Africa as xenophobic violence escalates

The Federal Government has approved five emergency evacuation flights to repatriate Nigerians stranded in South Africa following a renewed wave of xenophobic attacks and rising anti-immigrant tensions in the country.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also announced on Sunday that the ongoing screening exercise for affected citizens at the Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria has been extended by four days, moving the deadline to Wednesday, June 10, 2026, to accommodate increased turnout.

Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa, confirmed that President Bola Tinubu approved the deployment of commercial aircraft operated by Air Peace to carry out the evacuation.

He added that, unlike earlier plans which required evacuees to fund their own travel, the flights will now be provided free of charge to all Nigerians cleared for repatriation.

“I just received confirmation from our Mission in Pretoria that the screening exercise of Nigerian nationals that have indicated interest to be evacuated back home has been extended to Wednesday, 10th June, 2026,” Ebienfa said. “So far, over 500 persons have been screened and cleared.”

The first evacuation flight is expected to depart Johannesburg on Monday evening, subject to final aviation clearance, with about 270 passengers scheduled to be airlifted in the initial phase.

The evacuation exercise, which began on June 4, is being jointly coordinated by the Nigerian High Commission in South Africa, the South African Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO), the South African Police Service (SAPS), and immigration authorities.

Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, described the turnout for registration as significant, adding that more than 1,000 Nigerians are expected to be processed before the new deadline.

Authorities also confirmed that South African officials have granted special waivers to allow undocumented Nigerians and those with expired visas to board evacuation flights without fear of arrest or prosecution.

The latest unrest in South Africa has been linked to growing economic pressure, including unemployment rates exceeding 30%, which have fuelled protests and sporadic attacks on migrant-owned businesses and foreign nationals.

The development has triggered similar responses across West Africa, with Ghana recently completing the evacuation of more than 300 of its citizens from South Africa over safety concerns.

Back home, the Nigeria Police Force has warned against any form of retaliatory violence targeting South African nationals, businesses, or diplomatic interests within Nigeria.

Police spokesperson Anthony Placid said while public anger over attacks on Nigerians abroad is understandable, law enforcement agencies will not tolerate any reprisal actions, stressing that all foreign nationals and interests remain protected under Nigerian law.