The Federal Government has postponed the evacuation of Nigerian citizens seeking to return home from South Africa following recent xenophobic attacks targeting foreign nationals in the country.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that the first batch of returnees, initially scheduled to be airlifted on Monday, will now depart on Wednesday due to unforeseen logistical challenges.
The ministry’s spokesperson, Kimiebi Ebienfa, disclosed the development in a statement issued on Monday. He explained that the adjustment was necessary to ensure all operational and clearance requirements are fully completed before the evacuation begins.
According to Ebienfa, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved five evacuation flights to bring affected Nigerians back home. The operations will be carried out by Air Peace, a Nigerian private airline.
The first flight is expected to transport approximately 270 passengers from Johannesburg on Wednesday evening once all necessary permits and aviation clearances have been secured.
The government has also extended the screening and verification exercise for Nigerians who have indicated interest in returning from South Africa. The exercise, originally expected to end earlier, will now continue until Wednesday.
Ebienfa revealed that Nigeria’s Mission in Pretoria confirmed the extension of the screening process to accommodate more applicants.
“So far, more than 500 persons have been screened and cleared for evacuation,” he said.
The evacuation exercise is part of the Federal Government’s response to growing concerns over the safety of Nigerians and other African migrants affected by the recent xenophobic violence in South Africa.
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