Another group of Nigerians fleeing the ongoing anti-migrant unrest in South Africa arrived in Lagos on Friday as the Federal Government sustained its evacuation programme for citizens affected by the violence.
The returnees landed at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport aboard an Air Peace charter flight from Johannesburg.
According to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mrs. Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, the aircraft transported 268 Nigerians, in addition to two officers and crew members.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu disclosed that the Federal Government sponsored the special evacuation flight, which departed Oliver Tambo International Airport at 5:36 a.m.
In a statement shared on her X handle, the minister said President Bola Tinubu had ordered the continuation of the evacuation exercise despite the expiration of the June 30 deadline earlier issued by anti-migrant groups in South Africa.
“The President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, has directed that the evacuation of Nigerian nationals from South Africa at risk as a result of the ongoing xenophobic protests and attacks continues, even after the deadline of 30th June 2026,” she said.
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She explained that nearly 600 Nigerians had already been evacuated through three previous flights before the June 30 deadline, adding that the operation would continue for all citizens who voluntarily registered and successfully completed the screening process.
“The evacuations remain ongoing. The Federal Government is committed to bringing home safely our Nationals who voluntarily registered to be evacuated and have been duly screened and cleared,” the minister said.
Reaffirming the government’s commitment to the welfare of Nigerians abroad, Odumegwu-Ojukwu said the protection of citizens outside the country remains one of the administration’s priorities.
“Our Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in adherence to that unbreakable bond between citizen and state, remains dedicated to this mandate,” she added, describing the protection of Nigerians overseas as “a central pillar of the Renewed Hope Agenda.”
The latest evacuation comes as anti-immigrant protests continue to spread across South Africa, with demonstrators demanding the removal of undocumented foreign nationals, whom they accuse of contributing to unemployment and placing additional strain on public services.
Reports indicate that the latest violence has claimed at least four lives. In response, Nigeria, alongside Ghana, Zimbabwe, Malawi and Mozambique, has organised voluntary evacuation programmes for its citizens.
The Federal Government has also signalled its intention to engage South African authorities over compensation for businesses and properties abandoned by Nigerians affected by the unrest.