269 Evacuated Nigerians Return from South Africa

A total of 269 stranded Nigerians have arrived in the country from South Africa under the Federal Government's ongoing voluntary evacuation programme.

The returnees arrived aboard an Air Peace flight at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, at about 10:48 a.m. on Tuesday. Their arrival was confirmed in a statement issued by the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa.

The latest evacuation marks the second major airlift coordinated by the Federal Government following the immigration deadline imposed by South African authorities. It comes after an earlier evacuation on June 24, during which more than 60 Nigerians, mostly women and children, were flown home aboard a South African Airways flight facilitated by a Nigerian philanthropist. The two operations have brought the total number of returnees under the exercise to over 600.

Officials of the Nigerian High Commission in South Africa accompanied the evacuees throughout the journey and formally handed them over to government officials on arrival in Lagos.

Leading the Federal Government's reception team was the Director of the African Affairs Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Haruna Ali-Gombe, who welcomed the returnees on behalf of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Ali-Gombe conveyed the President's assurance that the welfare, safety and protection of Nigerians living abroad remain a priority, adding that the Federal Government would continue to provide support for citizens facing challenges outside the country.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the evacuation exercise was ongoing, noting that additional flights had been scheduled to bring home Nigerians who had completed the required screening procedures and voluntarily opted for repatriation.

According to the ministry, the operation is part of the Federal Government's coordinated response to South Africa's enforcement of immigration regulations affecting undocumented foreign nationals.

The ministry also assured that diplomatic engagement with the South African authorities would continue to safeguard the rights and interests of Nigerians residing legally in the country while facilitating the orderly return of those choosing voluntary repatriation.

It reaffirmed the Federal Government's commitment to providing consular assistance to Nigerians abroad and pledged to sustain high-level diplomatic efforts throughout the evacuation exercise.

Source: Africans & Diaspora

Tags: #SouthAfrica #Evacuation #ForeignAffairs