Get Guardian on GoogleThe Federal Government’s third official repatriation flight from South Africa has arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, bringing home 271 Nigerians who voluntarily opted to return amid growing anti-immigrant tensions in the country.
The flight, operated by Air Peace, landed on Friday as part of the government’s ongoing evacuation programme coordinated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The latest batch further increases the number of Nigerians evacuated under the official exercise, with authorities confirming that additional flights have been scheduled to bring home all registered citizens.
According to the Ministry’s spokesperson, Kimiebi Ebienfa, the repatriation exercise follows the successful evacuation of earlier batches, including 269 returnees who arrived earlier this week. The Federal Government disclosed that more than 1,000 Nigerians initially indicated interest in returning home, with several hundred already evacuated.
Officials of relevant government agencies received the returnees on arrival and are expected to facilitate their documentation, profiling and reintegration process.
The evacuation initiative was launched in response to rising anti-immigrant tensions and security concerns in South Africa, as the Federal Government reaffirmed its commitment to protecting the lives, safety and welfare of Nigerians living abroad.
