More than 700 Nigerians remain stranded in South Africa as the June 30 deadline issued by anti-immigration groups draws closer, with delays in the government’s evacuation plans leaving many exposed to growing xenophobic tensions.
Although President Bola Ahmed Tinubu approved funding for four additional evacuation flights, bureaucratic delays have reportedly prevented the release of the funds to the designated carrier, Air Peace, stalling the rescue operation.
According to officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), and the Nigerian High Commission in South Africa, over 1,000 Nigerians registered for evacuation. So far, only 324 have returned home—258 on an Air Peace flight and 66 on a privately sponsored ValueJet-assisted operation—leaving more than 700 people awaiting evacuation.
Officials said Air Peace has yet to deploy additional flights because payment has not been confirmed, while the administrative delay has disrupted scheduled departures and forced some evacuees to seek temporary shelter at the Nigerian High Commission in Johannesburg.
The President of the Nigerian Citizens Association in South Africa, Rev. Frank Onyekwelu, said the renewed wave of xenophobic attacks has claimed the lives of more than 20 Nigerians, with many others reportedly assaulted, displaced, or forced to abandon their businesses.
Despite the setbacks, government officials insist that the evacuation process remains ongoing and expressed optimism that outstanding issues would be resolved to allow additional rescue flights to commence soon.
