The Federal Government has received another 269 Nigerians evacuated from South Africa, raising the number of citizens brought home under the ongoing voluntary repatriation exercise.
The development was announced by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement issued on Tuesday by its spokesperson, Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, who said the latest batch arrived at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, aboard an Air Peace flight from Johannesburg.
The ministry said the aircraft landed at 10:48 a.m. on Tuesday with 269 returnees, adding that the figure comes after 66 Nigerians earlier returned on June 24 aboard a South African Airways flight facilitated by “a good spirited Nigerian.”
Officials of the Nigerian Mission in South Africa accompanied the evacuees on the flight. On arrival in Lagos, they were received by senior officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs led by the Director of the African Affairs Department, Ambassador Haruna Ali-Gombe.
Ali-Gombe conveyed the message of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to the returnees, assuring them of the government’s commitment to the welfare of Nigerians living outside the country.
He said the President sent his “heartfelt greetings and assurances” to the returning nationals, while reaffirming “the Federal Government’s steadfast commitment to ensure the safety of Nigerian nationals living outside the country.”
The ministry said the repatriation programme remains in progress as South Africa’s June 30 deadline for undocumented foreigners to leave the country takes effect.
It stated, “The evacuation process is still on course and more flights are expected in the country in the next few days to evacuate all Nigerians that have been screened and cleared to voluntarily return to the country.”
The statement also said, “Government will continue to engage South African authorities at the highest levels to ensure the protection of Nigerian nationals living in the country.”