Another 269 Nigerians evacuated from South Africa arrived at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, on Tuesday as the federal government reaffirmed its commitment to protecting Nigerian citizens abroad and sustaining the ongoing voluntary evacuation exercise.
The returnees arrived aboard the evacuation flight operated by Air Peace from Johannesburg, South Africa, at 10:48 a.m. on June 30.
Their arrival brings the total number of Nigerians repatriated under the current exercise to 593, following the earlier return of 258 Nigerians on June 11 and 66 more on June 24, via South African Airways, facilitated by a good-spirited Nigerian.
The evacuees were escorted by officials of the Nigerian Mission in South Africa and were received at the airport by senior officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs led by the Director of the African Affairs Department, Ambassador Haruna Ali-Gombe.
During the reception, the ministry conveyed the goodwill of President Bola Tinubu to the returnees and reiterated the federal government’s commitment to ensuring the safety and welfare of Nigerian nationals residing outside the country.
The latest evacuation came as South Africa’s June 30 deadline for undocumented foreign nationals to leave the country took effect, prompting Nigerian authorities to intensify efforts to assist citizens who opted to return home voluntarily.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the evacuation exercise remains ongoing, adding that additional flights are expected in the coming days to bring back all Nigerians who have been screened and cleared for voluntary repatriation.
The ministry also stated that the federal government would continue high-level engagement with the South African authorities to safeguard the interests and protection of Nigerians who remain in the country while strengthening bilateral cooperation on migration and consular matters.
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