The Federal Government has announced that the screening of Nigerians in South Africa who registered for voluntary evacuation following renewed xenophobic attacks is expected to conclude on Saturday.
Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Kimiebi Ebienfa, disclosed this while providing an update on the government’s repatriation efforts for affected citizens.
According to Ebienfa, the screening exercise, which commenced on Thursday, is being jointly conducted by the Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria, South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation, the South African Police Service, and immigration authorities.
He explained that the exercise is aimed at verifying the identities and status of Nigerians who have indicated interest in returning home due to growing concerns over their safety amid anti-immigrant sentiments in parts of South Africa.
“The screening exercise of Nigerians in South Africa that have registered to be evacuated will end today,” Ebienfa said.
“At the end of the screening, we will have a definite figure that has been cleared for evacuation. Thereafter, government will finalize the details about deployment of aircraft to bring them home.”
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The evacuation plan follows renewed xenophobic attacks and anti-immigrant protests reported in parts of Pretoria and Johannesburg, which have heightened fears among foreign nationals, including Nigerians residing in South Africa.
The Federal Government had last month announced its readiness to evacuate willing Nigerians who no longer felt secure in the country.
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, had earlier disclosed that about 130 Nigerians initially registered for the voluntary repatriation programme when it was first announced.
However, recent reports indicate that the number of Nigerians seeking evacuation has risen significantly, with more than 1,000 citizens now reportedly expressing interest in returning home.
The development underscores growing concerns among Nigerians living in South Africa over recurring incidents of xenophobic violence that have periodically strained diplomatic relations between both countries.
Government officials say arrangements for airlifting the affected citizens will be concluded immediately after the verification process is completed and the final number of eligible evacuees is confirmed.