By Faith Anisiobi, The Sight News
Abuja – The Federal Government has evacuated a total of 859 Nigerians from South Africa following the recent xenophobic protests, reaffirming its commitment to protecting citizens abroad and dismissing allegations that evacuees were asked to pay for the exercise.
According to a statement by the Ministry’s Spokesperson, Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, the first evacuation flight, operated by Air Peace, arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, on June 11 with 258 returnees. The evacuees were received by the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye, on behalf of the Federal Government before being handed over to relevant government agencies for documentation and profiling.
The ministry explained that logistical challenges delayed the second evacuation flight, prompting the Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria to temporarily accommodate and care for stranded citizens. It added that a Nigerian philanthropist voluntarily paid for the tickets of 66 evacuees, who returned to Lagos aboard South African Airways on June 24.
A second government-coordinated evacuation flight later arrived on June 30 with 269 returnees, bringing the total number evacuated at the time to 593.
The ministry also announced the arrival of a third evacuation flight from Johannesburg with 266 returnees, increasing the total number of Nigerians evacuated from South Africa to 859.
It assured Nigerians that additional evacuation flights would continue for those who voluntarily registered and had been duly screened and cleared for return.
The ministry stressed that all special evacuation flights were fully funded by the Federal Government and that no returnee was required to pay for transportation.
It described as false and misleading allegations that officials of the Nigerian Mission in South Africa demanded money before enlisting citizens for evacuation, urging the public to disregard such claims.
The ministry expressed appreciation to relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) for their collaboration in the evacuation exercise, describing the operation as a demonstration of the Federal Government’s commitment to safeguarding Nigerians in distress abroad.
The statement added that protecting Nigerian citizens overseas remains a central pillar of the country’s foreign policy and reaffirmed the government’s resolve to ensure that citizens affected by crises receive timely support, dignity and care.
