The Federal Government has successfully repatriated another 66 Nigerians from South Africa as part of its ongoing evacuation programme for citizens affected by recent xenophobic attacks in the country.
The returnees, who make up the second batch of evacuees, arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos on Wednesday night aboard a special evacuation flight.
The exercise follows the Federal Government’s approval of an evacuation programme aimed at assisting Nigerians willing to return home following renewed attacks on foreign nationals in South Africa.
The latest group joins the first batch of 258 Nigerians, who arrived in the country on June 11 aboard a chartered Air Peace flight.
Confirming the development, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs disclosed that the second phase of the operation brought home 66 Nigerians.
Officials of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) explained that the evacuation flight was facilitated by the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of ValueJet, Mr. Kunle Soname, while officials of the Nigerian High Commission in South Africa accompanied the returnees throughout the journey.
NiDCOM commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for approving the evacuation exercise and noted that lessons from the first phase had helped improve subsequent operations.
The commission also stated that the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mrs. Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, has assured that every Nigerian who registered and wishes to return from South Africa will be evacuated.
To support the returnees’ reintegration, NiDCOM announced several assistance packages. Indigenes of Imo State among the evacuees will receive ₦1 million each from Governor Hope Uzodimma.
In addition, MTN Nigeria donated free SIM cards with ₦50,000 worth of data, while ₦100,000 was credited into the bank account of each returnee. Founder of Harvesters International Christian Centre, Pastor Bolaji Idowu, also donated ₦100,000 to every evacuee.
The returnees expressed appreciation to President Tinubu for facilitating their safe return and thanked all government agencies and private individuals who contributed to the evacuation exercise.
Officials of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, the Nigeria Immigration Service, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, and other security agencies were on hand at the airport to receive, screen, and document the returning citizens.