An Air Peace airline flight conveying 268 Nigerians evacuated from South Africa landed at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, at 10:30 am on Thursday. As the pioneer group repatriated amidst escalating xenophobic violence, their arrival follows documentation delays that pushed the flight back from its initial Monday schedule. According to official estimates, more than 1,000 Nigerians have expressed interest in voluntary repatriation and are awaiting evacuation.
Nigeria’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, confirmed that evacuation demands are soaring. In a strategic diplomatic move, the Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria secured vital immigration waivers from South African authorities, allowing stranded nationals with visa offences to fly home rather than be locked up. To handle the surge, the government extended its screening window. Originally set to run from last Thursday to Saturday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Wednesday that operations were extended through Sunday to leave no one behind
“This underscores the priority accorded to the protection of Nigerian citizens overseas, which remains a central pillar of Nigeria’s foreign policy and a core responsibility of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,” the statement reads.
According to the Ministry, the Federal Government has activated a multi-agency response team to handle the crisis. Relevant Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) have put in place structured arrangements to manage the reception, documentation, and immediate rehabilitation of the arriving citizens.
