The Federal Government has evacuated an additional 39 Nigerians from Johannesburg, South Africa, through an emergency Air Peace flight arranged to accommodate citizens who were unable to return during Thursday’s scheduled evacuation.
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, disclosed the development in a statement issued on Friday, saying the emergency arrangement was made to ensure that affected Nigerians were not left stranded following the disruption of the previous evacuation schedule.
According to the minister, the special flight was organised to transport those who could not board Thursday’s evacuation flight without disrupting the remaining operations planned under the ongoing repatriation exercise.
“Thirty-nine Nigerian nationals are on a flight back from Johannesburg to Lagos on emergency travel arrangements facilitated by Air Peace in order to accommodate those unable to return on yesterday’s flight,” she said.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu explained that the intervention was necessary to prevent any spillover that could affect the pre-scheduled evacuation programme for Nigerians who completed their documentation within the stipulated deadline.
“This is to ensure that there is no interruption or spillover from the ongoing pre-scheduled evacuation flights from South Africa regarding our nationals who effected their documentation within the stipulated deadline,” she stated.
The minister disclosed that the emergency flight was expected to arrive at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, by 8:50 p.m. on Friday, July 10, 2026.
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She commended Air Peace for deploying the additional aircraft and supporting the Federal Government’s efforts to safely return stranded Nigerians.
“We wish to convey our appreciation to the management of Air Peace for their collaboration and facilitation of this additional exercise,” she said.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu further revealed that the final evacuation flight under the ongoing exercise, expected to bring home about 300 more Nigerians, would arrive in Nigeria next week.
She reaffirmed President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to protecting Nigerians living abroad, particularly those affected by the renewed wave of xenophobic attacks in South Africa.
“The President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria remains committed to the safety and protection of our nationals imperilled as a result of the xenophobic incidents that are ongoing in South Africa,” the minister said.
The latest evacuation comes a day after the fourth batch of returnees arrived in Nigeria, with 287 citizens, comprising 272 adults and 12 infants, successfully airlifted from Johannesburg after an earlier Air Peace aircraft was grounded when its windscreen reportedly shattered before take-off.
The airline subsequently deployed a replacement aircraft to complete the operation.
The Federal Government commenced the evacuation exercise on June 11, 2026, following renewed xenophobic attacks and anti-migrant protests in South Africa that claimed the lives of several Nigerians, including Musa Yunana Joe and Charles Iroegbu.
President Tinubu had earlier approved an extension of the evacuation exercise beyond the initial June 30 deadline to enable more Nigerians willing to return home to benefit from the programme.