271 Nigerians return to Lagos as FG expands South Africa evacuation

A total of 271 Nigerian nationals evacuated from South Africa arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, on Tuesday, in the latest phase of the Federal Government’s voluntary repatriation programme for citizens affected by growing anti-immigrant tensions in the country.

The returnees arrived aboard an Air Peace chartered flight and were received by officials of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), and other government agencies.

The latest batch is the third and largest group of Nigerians repatriated under the ongoing evacuation exercise coordinated by the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The evacuation follows heightened concerns over the safety of foreign nationals in parts of South Africa after renewed anti-immigrant campaigns by some civic groups and political organizations, which called for undocumented migrants to leave the country. Although the South African government has distanced itself from the campaign and reiterated its commitment to protecting all residents regardless of nationality, reports of intimidation and attacks on some foreign-owned businesses prompted many Nigerians to opt for voluntary return.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, more than 1,000 Nigerians in South Africa have registered for the voluntary evacuation programme. The Federal Government subsequently approved a series of evacuation flights to facilitate the safe return of interested citizens.

With the arrival of the latest batch, nearly 600 Nigerians have now been repatriated through the exercise. Previous flights returned 262 Nigerians on June 11 aboard Air Peace and another 66 on June 25 via ValueJet.

Upon arrival in Lagos, the returnees underwent immigration and security screening before receiving medical checks, profiling, and temporary assistance to support their onward journeys to various parts of the country.

Some of the evacuees recounted abandoning businesses and personal belongings in South Africa due to security concerns, while others said they were forced to dispose of assets at significant financial losses before leaving.

The Federal Government said it will continue to work with South African authorities to ensure the safety of Nigerians who remain in the country while pursuing diplomatic engagement on issues affecting citizens and any assets left behind during the evacuation.

Government officials also reaffirmed that additional evacuation flights would be arranged for registered Nigerians who wish to return home as the voluntary repatriation programme continues.