The Federal Government has announced that the first group of Nigerians being repatriated from South Africa following xenophobic attacks will arrive at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos on Thursday at about 5am.
In a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson, Kimiebi Ebienfa, the flight is being operated by Air Peace and will depart the Oliver Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg on Wednesday night.
Ebienfa said the Federal Government has fully funded the evacuation and put in place reception and support measures for the returnees, adding that “upon arrival, the evacuees will undergo documentation and profiling procedures and will receive the appropriate assistance and support before being reunited with their families.”
The repatriation flight was initially scheduled for Monday but was later shifted to Wednesday due to what he described as “unforeseen logistical considerations.”
Foreign Affairs Minister Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu explained that the delay was necessary to complete documentation and screening in coordination with South African authorities, noting that over 1,000 Nigerians were involved in the process, while “the figures keep increasing.”
Nigeria’s High Commission in Pretoria also stated that it had “negotiated waivers with host authorities” to ensure that individuals with “immigration-related offences” would be allowed to return on the evacuation flights instead of being detained.
About 270 Nigerians are expected in the first batch, with the exercise being coordinated alongside the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and other government bodies.
