By Opeyemi Adelakun
The Federal Government has repatriated another 66 Nigerians from South Africa as part of its ongoing evacuation of citizens affected by renewed xenophobic attacks in the country.
The second batch of evacuees arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos at about 8:50 p.m. on Thursday.
Confirming the development, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa, said the latest group formed the second phase of the government’s evacuation exercise.
The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) also confirmed the arrival, noting that it followed the successful evacuation of 258 Nigerians who returned aboard a chartered Air Peace flight on June 11.
Head of NiDCOM’s Lagos Office, Dipo Onabowale, said the evacuation flight was facilitated by ValueJet Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Kunle Soname, while officials of the Nigerian High Commission in South Africa accompanied the returnees back to Nigeria.
Representing NiDCOM Chairman Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Onabowale commended President Bola Tinubu for approving the evacuation exercise. He added that challenges experienced during the first phase were being addressed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
According to him, Minister of Foreign Affairs Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu has assured that every registered Nigerian willing to return from South Africa will be evacuated.
NiDCOM also announced support measures for the returnees. Indigenes of Imo State among the evacuees are to receive N1 million each from Governor Hope Uzodimma, while MTN Nigeria provided free SIM cards and N50,000 worth of data. In addition, each returnee received N100,000 credited to their bank account.
Founder of Harvesters International Christian Centre, Pastor Bolaji Idowu, also donated N100,000 to each of the evacuees.
The returnees expressed gratitude to President Tinubu for approving the evacuation and ensuring their safe return. They also thanked Acting Nigerian High Commissioner to South Africa, Ambassador Temitope Ajayi, NiDCOM Chairman Abike Dabiri-Erewa, and others who contributed to the exercise.
Officials of the National Emergency Management Agency, National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, Nigeria Immigration Service, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, and other security agencies were on hand at the airport to receive and document the returnees.
The latest evacuation is part of the Federal Government’s response to renewed xenophobic attacks targeting foreign nationals in South Africa.
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