The Federal Government has started evacuating Nigerians caught in the recent xenophobic violence in South Africa, with the first batch of returnees expected to arrive in Lagos as efforts continue to bring home affected citizens.
The exercise is part of emergency measures introduced after renewed attacks on foreign nationals in several parts of South Africa. This has forced many Nigerians to seek urgent assistance from their home government. In fact, hundreds of Nigerians have registered for voluntary return as the security situation worsens.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the evacuees were moved from affected areas to safe holding points before being transported to the airport for their return flight. The Nigerian government fully funded the evacuation, so no citizen paid any fee to return home.
The first group is expected to land at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, where government agencies, including the National Emergency Management Agency, have made arrangements to receive them. Screening, documentation, and medical checks ill be carried out before they are reunited with their families.
Officials say more flights are planned in the coming days as more Nigerians continue to register for evacuation. The government has also assured that it is working closely with South African authorities and international partners to make sure all its citizens are safe.
The development follows a series of xenophobic incidents in South Africa that have sparked concern across Africa and drawn diplomatic reactions from several countries. Nigeria has condemned the attacks and called for stronger protection of its nationals abroad.
