The federal government has announced that another batch of 271 Nigerians will arrive in the country on Tuesday as it continues the voluntary evacuation of citizens from South Africa ahead of planned anti-immigrant protests.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs disclosed that an Air Peace aircraft departed Nigeria on Monday and is expected to return to the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, on Tuesday morning with the latest group of evacuees.
Spokesperson for the ministry, Kimiebi Ebienfa, said the evacuation exercise is part of the federal government’s commitment to protecting Nigerians who have chosen to return home amid growing concerns over planned demonstrations by anti-immigration groups in South Africa, scheduled to begin on June 30.
According to Ebienfa, the Air Peace flight departed Nigeria at 3:00 p.m. on Monday, June 29, and was scheduled to arrive in South Africa at about 9:00 p.m. local time before departing at midnight for Lagos.
He confirmed that 271 Nigerians are expected on the latest evacuation flight.
The voluntary evacuation programme was approved earlier this month by President Bola Tinubu to provide safe passage for Nigerians wishing to leave South Africa following heightened security concerns.
Earlier, the federal government approved five Air Peace evacuation flights after screening more than 500 Nigerians for repatriation. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the operation is designed to ensure that every registered Nigerian willing to return home is safely evacuated.
Before the latest flight, 328 Nigerians had already returned in two separate batches. The first group of 262 returnees arrived in Lagos on June 11, while another 66 Nigerians were repatriated on June 25.
The evacuation exercise is being coordinated by the federal government in collaboration with Air Peace and other relevant agencies as authorities continue to monitor developments in South Africa and prioritize the safety and welfare of Nigerian citizens abroad.
