The federal government has announced that another 271 Nigerians affected by the recent xenophobic unrest in South Africa will arrive in Lagos on Friday, as it continues the evacuation of citizens who opted to return home.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs disclosed this in a statement issued on Thursday by its spokesperson, Kimiebi Ebienfa, saying the latest batch would move the government closer to completing the evacuation of all registered returnees.
According to the ministry, the third evacuation flight is expected to land at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, at about 5:30 a.m. on Friday.
The government said 593 Nigerians have already been evacuated in previous operations.
The first batch of 258 evacuees arrived on June 11 aboard a special Air Peace flight, while 66 others returned on June 24, after a Nigerian philanthropist paid for their tickets following delays caused by logistical challenges.
Another 269 Nigerians were evacuated on June 30 through the second government-arranged flight.
The ministry added that three more evacuation flights would be operated in the coming days to bring home about 700 additional Nigerians who have voluntarily registered, been screened and cleared for evacuation.
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Responding to allegations that officials at the Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria demanded money from intending evacuees, the ministry dismissed the claims as false.
It stressed that all evacuation flights are fully funded by the federal government and that no returnee is required to pay for the service.
The ministry also commended the collaboration of relevant ministries, departments and agencies involved in the exercise, describing the coordinated effort as crucial to the success of the evacuation process.
Reaffirming the government’s commitment to protecting Nigerians abroad, the ministry said the ongoing evacuation underscores Nigeria’s resolve to provide support, dignity and care to citizens affected by crises outside the country.
