Xenophobia: Nigerian govt to evacuate 83 citizens from South Africa
The Federal Government is set to evacuate another 83 Nigerians from South Africa. This latest batch of returnees are expected to arrive the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, tomorrow, August 19,. . .
The Federal Government is set to evacuate another 83 Nigerians from South Africa. This latest batch of returnees are expected to arrive the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, tomorrow, August 19, 2026. In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the returnees would travel on South African Airways, departing the Oliver Tambo Airport in Johannesburg at 3:35pm local time and arriving in Lagos at approximately 8:45pm the same day. The ministry said the latest batch was facilitated through the intervention and sponsorship of flight tickets by public-spirited private individuals, whose support it acknowledged with gratitude. The development comes after conclusion of the Federal Government’s voluntary repatriation programme, which saw nearly 1,490 Nigerians repatriated from South Africa amid rising Afrophobic attacks and anti-foreigner sentiments in the country. According to the ministry, the Federal Government remains committed to safeguarding the welfare and dignity of Nigerians at home and abroad under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration. It said the government, through its Citizen Diplomacy agenda, considers Nigerians in the diaspora as critical assets for national development and remains committed to their protection and well-being. The ministry also commended private individuals and philanthropists who had supported the latest evacuation, describing their intervention as an example of the “whole of society approach” and public-private collaboration.