The first batch of Nigerians evacuated from South Africa following renewed xenophobic attacks has arrived in the country.
The 258 returnees touched down at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos at about 10:25 a.m. on Thursday aboard an Air Peace flight.
Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Sola Enikanolaiye, was among government officials who received the evacuees, who were accompanied by members of the Nigerian Mission in South Africa led by Acting High Commissioner, Temitope Ajayi.
Addressing the returnees, Enikanolaiye said the Federal Government would not remain passive while Nigerians were subjected to attacks and harassment abroad, stressing that the evacuation reflected the government’s commitment to protecting its citizens.
In a statement issued after their arrival, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa, quoted the minister as commending the High Commission of Nigeria in Pretoria for its effective coordination of the evacuation exercise.
He urged Nigerians residing in South Africa to remain law-abiding, vigilant and to promptly report any threats to the Nigerian Mission.
According to the minister, the Federal Government remains actively engaged with South African authorities at the highest levels to ensure the safety of Nigerian nationals and address the underlying causes of the attacks.
Enikanolaiye also conveyed the goodwill and assurances of President Bola Tinubu to the returnees.
“No Nigerian should live in fear simply because of their nationality. The evacuation does not signal defeat; it underscores the proactive and citizen-centred foreign policy of the Tinubu administration,” the statement read in part.
“More flights carrying returnees are expected to arrive in the country in the coming days as the evacuation exercise continues.”
The ministry said the returnees would undergo documentation, profiling and medical screening, and would be provided with temporary accommodation before being reunited with their families.
South Africa has witnessed weeks of anti-foreigner violence, with groups armed with sticks, whips and shields reportedly marching through parts of the country demanding that undocumented migrants leave by June 30.
Foreign nationals have reported intimidation and physical attacks by mobs conducting door-to-door searches, forcing many families to flee their homes.
Ghana, Mozambique and Malawi have already repatriated hundreds of their citizens in recent weeks.
South Africa, Africa’s largest economy, is home to more than three million foreign nationals, representing just over five per cent of the country’s population, according to official statistics.
