The Nigerian Government has received another batch of 269 Nigerian returnees evacuated from South Africa as part of ongoing efforts to bring home citizens affected by the country’s immigration enforcement measures.
According to the statement by the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa, the returnees arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, on Tuesday aboard an Air Peace evacuation flight from Johannesburg.
Their arrival follows the earlier evacuation of 66 Nigerians on June 24 via South African Airways, bringing the total number of returnees to 335.
The Spokesperson further noted that officials of the Nigerian Mission in South Africa accompanied the evacuees and handed them over to senior officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at the airport.
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The delegation was led by the Director of the African Affairs Department, Ambassador Haruna Ali-Gombe, who conveyed President Bola Tinubu’s goodwill message to the returnees.
Protecting Lives
Ambassador Ali-Gombe assured the returning Nigerians of the Federal Government’s unwavering commitment to protecting the lives and welfare of its citizens abroad.
He reaffirmed that the government would continue to take necessary steps to ensure the safety and dignity of Nigerians living outside the country.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs further stated that the evacuation exercise remains ongoing ahead of South Africa’s June 30 deadline for undocumented foreign nationals to leave the country.
It noted that additional evacuation flights are expected in the coming days to bring back all Nigerians who have been screened and cleared for voluntary return.
The Spokesperson gave assurance that the government will continue to engage South African authorities at the highest levels to ensure the protection of Nigerian nationals living in the country.
