The Federal Government has brought back another 268 Nigerians from South Africa as it continues the evacuation of citizens affected by the recent wave of xenophobic attacks and anti-immigrant violence in the country.
The returnees arrived in Lagos on Thursday aboard a special Air Peace charter flight coordinated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as part of the ongoing rescue operation.
According to the ministry, the latest evacuation was carried out on the instruction of President Bola Tinubu, who directed that the exercise should continue beyond the June 30 deadline earlier issued by anti-migrant groups in South Africa.
The flight departed O.R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg at 5:36 a.m. before landing at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport with 268 evacuees, accompanied by officials and crew members.
The ministry noted that the latest group adds to the hundreds of Nigerians already evacuated in previous operations, bringing the total number of returnees to well over 800.
It also stated that government officials would receive the evacuees on arrival to complete documentation, profiling and other administrative processes.
Reassuring Nigerians abroad, the ministry said the evacuation exercise remains ongoing and that every citizen who voluntarily registered and met the necessary requirements would be brought home safely.
It stated:
“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.”
The ministry further reaffirmed its commitment to protecting Nigerians wherever they are in the world, describing the safety and dignity of citizens abroad as a key priority under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
“Our Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in adherence to that unbreakable bond between citizen and state, remains dedicated to this mandate. The protection of our citizens abroad remains our priority, a central pillar of the Renewed Hope Agenda.
“The dignity of our citizens abroad matters…and we remain committed to upholding it.”
