FG brings home 1,490 Nigerians from South Africa
The Federal Government has repatriated 1,490 Nigerians from South Africa following a rise in xenophobic attacks, with the evacuation concluding on July 15.
The Federal Government has repatriated 1,490 Nigerians from South Africa following a rise in xenophobic attacks targeting foreign nationals. The evacuation, which began on June 11 and concluded on July 15, was carried out in seven batches. While the government funded five Air Peace flights, two additional emergency flights operated by South African Airways brought more Nigerians home.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the operation was coordinated with the Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria, the Consulate-General in Johannesburg, NiDCOM, NEMA, the Nigeria Immigration Service, FAAN and other agencies to ensure a smooth process from registration to arrival in Nigeria. The government also commended Air Peace for its support throughout the exercise.
Reaffirming Nigeria’s strong ties with South Africa, the ministry condemned xenophobia and pledged continued diplomatic engagement to protect Nigerians abroad. It also urged Nigerians living overseas to obey local laws and register with Nigerian diplomatic missions for timely assistance when needed.
The repatriation is the largest of its kind since the 2019 xenophobic attacks, which also prompted evacuation flights. The difference is scale: 1,490 Nigerians have returned this time, a testament to the severity of the violence and the government’s willingness to act.
This echoes the 2019 repatriation of Nigerians from South Africa, which also involved Air Peace and the federal government. The mechanism then was different, but the result was the same: Nigerians fleeing violence in a country that is supposed to be a brotherly nation.
The winners: the 1,490 Nigerians who are now home safely. The losers: the families of the Nigerians who died in the attacks; the Nigerian government, which must reintegrate the returnees; and the African Union, which has failed to address the recurring violence.
Bottom Line: 1,490 Nigerians are back home. The evacuation is over. The xenophobia is not.