Xenophobia: Tinubu’s govt evacuates 66 more Nigerians from South Africa

By Tolulope Oke

FSixty-six Nigerians evacuated from South Africa have arrived in Lagos as the Federal Government continues the repatriation of citizens affected by renewed xenophobic attacks in the country.

The returnees, who formed the second batch of evacuees, arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, at about 8:50 p.m. on Wednesday.

Their arrival came after President Bola Tinubu approved the evacuation of Nigerians willing to return home following fresh attacks on foreign nationals in South Africa.

The latest batch followed the return of 258 Nigerians who arrived in the country on June 11 aboard a chartered Air Peace flight.

Confirming the development on Thursday, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa, said 66 Nigerians were repatriated in the second phase of the exercise.

The Head of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, NiDCOM, Lagos Office, Dipo Onabowale, said the evacuation flight was facilitated by the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of ValueJet, Kunle Soname.

He added that officials of the Nigerian High Commission in South Africa accompanied the returnees to Nigeria.

Speaking on behalf of the Chairman of NiDCOM, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Onabowale commended President Tinubu for approving the evacuation exercise.

He said some of the challenges recorded during the first phase of the operation were being addressed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

According to him, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, had assured that all registered Nigerians willing to return from South Africa would be evacuated.

NiDCOM also announced support packages for the returnees.

The commission said indigenes of Imo State among the evacuees would receive N1 million each from Governor Hope Uzodimma.

It added that MTN Nigeria provided free SIM cards and N50,000 worth of data for the returnees, while N100,000 was credited into the bank account of each person.

The Founder of Harvesters International Christian Centre, Pastor Bolaji Idowu, also donated N100,000 to each of the evacuees.

The returnees thanked President Tinubu for approving the evacuation and ensuring their safe return to Nigeria.

They also expressed appreciation to Soname; the Acting Nigerian High Commissioner to South Africa, Ambassador Temitope Ajayi; the Chairman of NiDCOM, Dabiri-Erewa; and other individuals and organisations that supported the exercise.

Officials of the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA; the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons; the Nigeria Immigration Service; the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria; and other security agencies were at the airport to receive and document the returnees.

The Federal Government had earlier said the evacuation would continue until registered Nigerians affected by the situation in South Africa and willing to return home are brought back.