Nigeria receives final batch of South Africa evacuees amid xenophobia concerns
The Federal Government has received the final batch of Nigerians evacuated from South Africa following rising concerns over xenophobic attacks and anti-immigration tensions in the country.
The evacuees arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, aboard an Air Peace flight, which touched down at about 11:28 a.m.
The evacuation exercise was coordinated by the Federal Government in collaboration with Air Peace and relevant agencies to assist Nigerians who voluntarily opted to return home amid security concerns in South Africa.
President Bola Tinubu had earlier approved the voluntary evacuation programme to enable affected Nigerians willing to leave South Africa to return safely.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs disclosed that the evacuation flights were arranged after more than 500 Nigerians were screened for repatriation, adding that the exercise was designed to ensure that registered citizens who wished to return were brought back safely.
The Federal Government said the programme was part of its efforts to protect the interests and welfare of Nigerians abroad, particularly those affected by rising tensions and threats to their safety.
The latest arrival marked the conclusion of a series of evacuation flights conducted by the government, with hundreds of Nigerians transported back home since the initiative began.
