Nigeria’s evacuation of citizens caught in South Africa’s anti-migrant violence gathered momentum on Friday as another flight brought another batch of returnees safely home to Lagos.
The plane touched down at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mrs. Bianca Odumegwu Ojukwu, disclosing that “a total of 268 returnees and two officers and crew” were on board the evacuation flight.
She said that the special charter funded by the Federal Government and operated by Air Peace Airlines departed Oliver Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg, South Africa at 5.36 a.m.
“The President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, has directed that the evacuation of Nigerian nationals from South Africa at risk as a result of the ongoing xenophobic protests and attacks continues, even after the deadline of 30th June 2026 issued by South African Anti-migrant groups and vigilantes.
“Three batches of returnees, almost 600 Nationals in total, had earlier been successfully evacuated from South Africa before the deadline.
“The evacuations remain ongoing. The Federal Government is committed to bringing home safely our Nationals who voluntarily registered to be evacuated and have been duly screened and cleared.
“Our Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in adherence to that unbreakable bond between citizen and state, remains dedicated to this mandate,” she said in a statement on her X handle on Friday.
The minister assured that the protection of Nigerian citizens abroad remains the priority of the government and a “central pillar of the Renewed Hope Agenda,” adding that the dignity of Nigerians abroad matters and will continue to be upheld.
