First batch of 258 Nigerians evacuated from South Africa lands in Lagos

The first batch of 258 Nigerians evacuated from South Africa following recent xenophobic attacks has arrived safely in Lagos, as the Federal Government intensified efforts to protect citizens affected by the unrest.

The evacuees arrived aboard a special Air Peace flight at the International Wing of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport on Thursday morning.

They were accompanied by officials of the Nigerian Mission in South Africa led by Acting High Commissioner, Ambassador Temitope Alexander Ajayi.

Receiving the returnees on behalf of the Federal Government, Sola Enikanolaiye, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, described the evacuation as a demonstration of President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to the welfare, safety and dignity of Nigerians living abroad.

“The Federal Government of Nigeria will not stand idly by while our citizens are subjected to attacks and harassment, wherever they may be in the world,” he said.

Enikanolaiye said the swift evacuation reflected Nigeria’s citizen-centred foreign policy and reassured Nigerians overseas that their welfare remains a priority for the government.

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He commended the Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria for coordinating the evacuation process and urged Nigerians residing in South Africa to remain law-abiding, vigilant and report any threats to the Nigerian Mission.

The minister also disclosed that the Federal Government was engaging South African authorities at the highest diplomatic levels to ensure the protection of Nigerian nationals and address the factors responsible for the attacks.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the evacuation exercise was coordinated in collaboration with the Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria and several government agencies, including the Ministries of Humanitarian Affairs, Aviation and Health, as well as the Nigeria Immigration Service and security agencies.

The ministry said the operation underscored the government’s determination to protect Nigerian citizens and uphold their dignity in the face of violence and intolerance.

The returnees are currently undergoing documentation, profiling and medical screening procedures. Authorities said temporary accommodation and other support services would be provided before they are reunited with their families.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said additional evacuation flights are expected in the coming days as efforts continue to assist Nigerians affected by the xenophobic attacks in South Africa.

Ifeoma Okeke-Korieocha

Ifeoma Okeke-Korieocha is the Aviation Correspondent at BusinessDay Media Limited, publishers of BusinessDay Newspapers. She is also the Deputy Editor, BusinessDay Weekender Magazine, the Saturday Weekend edition of BusinessDay. She holds a BSC in Mass Communication from the prestigious University of Nigeria, Nsukka and a Masters degree in Marketing at the University of Lagos. As the lead writer on the aviation desk, Ifeoma is responsible and in charge of the three weekly aviation and travel pages in BusinessDay and BDSunday. She also overseas and edits all pages of BusinessDay Saturday Weekender. She has written various investigative, features and news stories in aviation and business related issues and has been severally nominated for award in the category of Aviation Writer of the Year by the Nigeria Media Nite-Out awards; one of the Nigeria’s most prestigious media awards ceremonies. Ifeoma is a one-time winner of the prestigious Nigeria Media Merit Award under the 'Aviation Writer of the Year' Category. She is the 2025 Eloy Award winner under the Print Media Journalist category. She has undergone several journalism trainings by various prestigious organisations. Ifeoma is also a fellow of the Female Reporters Leadership Fellowship of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism.