Fresh batch arrives in Lagos aboard Air Peace amid growing anti-immigration tensions and nationwide protests in South Africa…..
Another group of Nigerians has returned home from South Africa under the Federal Government’s voluntary repatriation programme, as authorities continue efforts to assist citizens seeking to leave the country.
The latest batch, comprising about 271 returnees, arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos on Tuesday aboard an Air Peace flight. The aircraft departed Johannesburg at about 5:00 a.m. local time and touched down in Lagos shortly before 11:00 a.m.
Officials from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), and the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) were at the airport to receive the evacuees and coordinate their arrival.
The evacuation comes amid growing anti-immigration sentiment in South Africa, where several vigilante groups and organisations had declared June 30 as the deadline for undocumented migrants to leave the country.
President Bola Tinubu approved the voluntary evacuation initiative earlier this month, providing an opportunity for Nigerians who wished to return home to do so safely.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs had previously announced that five Air Peace evacuation flights were approved after more than 500 Nigerians registered and were screened for repatriation. The ministry said the arrangement was designed to ensure that every registered Nigerian willing to return would be evacuated without difficulty.
Before Tuesday’s operation, 328 Nigerians had already been brought back in two separate batches. The first evacuation flight returned 262 Nigerians on June 11, while another 66 arrived in Lagos on June 25.
The ongoing exercise is being coordinated by the Federal Government in collaboration with Air Peace and other relevant agencies.
Meanwhile, security remained tight across parts of South Africa on Tuesday as protests linked to anti-immigration campaigns continued. In downtown Johannesburg, many businesses remained closed while police officers maintained a visible presence across major streets.
The latest evacuation marks another phase in Nigeria’s efforts to ensure the safe return of its citizens amid mounting concerns over the security and welfare of migrants in South Africa.
