MORE Nigerians have been repatriated from South Africa, following the spate of xenophobic attacks, while the evacuations continues.
Another batch of evacuees arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos on Friday, July 3.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, said “a total of 268 returnees and two officers and crew” were on board the evacuation flight, adding that the special charter funded by the Federal Government and operated by Air Peace Airlines departed Oliver Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg, at 5.36a.m.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu disclosed that President Bola Tinubu has directed that the evacuation of Nigerians at risk as a result of the ongoing xenophobic protests and attacks in South Africa continues, even after the June 30 deadline issued by the country’s anti-migrant groups and vigilantes.
She stated in a statement posted on X on Friday: “Three batches of returnees, almost 600 nationals in total, had earlier been successfully evacuated from South Africa before the deadline.
“The evacuations remain ongoing. The Federal Government is committed to bringing home safely, our nationals who voluntarily registered to be evacuated and have been duly screened and cleared.
“Our Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in adherence to that unbreakable bond between citizen and state, remains dedicated to this mandate.”
The minister assured that the protection of Nigerians abroad remained government’s priority and a “central pillar of the Renewed Hope Agenda,” adding that the dignity of Nigerians abroad matters and will continue to be upheld.
