268 Nigerians Arrive in Lagos From South Africa on Rsa Country Flight
Rsa Country evacuees landed in Lagos on Thursday when 268 Nigerian returnees arrived at Murtala Muhammed International Airport aboard an Air Peace flight arranged under the Federal Government’s repatriation effort.
The arrival came after the flight was due to leave on Monday, then slipped to Wednesday because of documentation and processing issues. More than 1,000 Nigerians had indicated they wanted to leave South Africa, and additional flights were expected in the coming days.
Murtala Muhammed Airport Arrival
Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, said the number of Nigerians asking to come home was still rising. Her ministry said the first batch landing in Lagos marked the start of a broader effort to bring back Nigerians affected by unrest in South Africa and to help them return safely.
The Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria had engaged South African authorities to facilitate the departure of affected citizens. It also arranged for Nigerians with unresolved immigration concerns to leave on evacuation flights rather than face detention, while the Nigerian Mission in South Africa began screening and documenting intending returnees.
Pretoria Screening Extended
The screening and documentation exercise had initially been scheduled to end over the weekend, then was extended to accommodate the growing number of applicants. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the extension reflected the government’s commitment to protecting the welfare and interests of Nigerians abroad.
“This underscores the priority accorded to the protection of Nigerian citizens overseas, which remains a central pillar of Nigeria’s foreign policy and a core responsibility of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.”
For Nigerians still waiting to leave South Africa, the immediate change is that the evacuation has begun and more flights are planned, but the process is still moving through screening, documentation, and coordination in Pretoria before each departure.
