Private Sponsors To Bring 65 Nigerians Home From South Africa Wednesday

Sixty-five Nigerians are expected to arrive in Lagos from South Africa on Wednesday, with private individuals funding their return amid continued concerns over the safety of foreign nationals.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the development in a statement issued on Tuesday by its spokesperson, Kimiebi Ebienfa.

The returnees are scheduled to leave the Oliver Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg, at 3:30 p.m. local time aboard South African Airways.

They are expected to land at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, at 8:45 p.m. the same day.

The ministry did not disclose the identities of the sponsors or the circumstances that prompted the 65 Nigerians to seek return to Nigeria.

The development comes weeks after the Federal Government completed a five-phase evacuation exercise that saw 1,490 Nigerians repatriated from South Africa following renewed xenophobic tensions and attacks on foreign nationals.

The earlier exercise was coordinated by the Federal Government through relevant agencies and the Nigerian diplomatic mission in South Africa, with citizens who indicated interest in returning home evacuated in batches.

The latest group, however, is returning under private sponsorship, suggesting that some Nigerians continue to seek alternatives to remaining in South Africa despite the completion of the government-led evacuation programme.

Concerns over the safety of Nigerians in South Africa intensified in June following protests and attacks linked to anti-immigrant sentiments in some communities.

Nigeria responded by engaging the South African government through diplomatic channels and urging authorities in Pretoria to strengthen protection for foreign nationals.

The Federal Government had also cautioned Nigerians against retaliatory attacks on South African nationals or businesses in Nigeria, stressing that the situation should be addressed through diplomatic and lawful means.

The latest return also comes against the background of longstanding concerns over xenophobia in South Africa, where foreign nationals have periodically been targeted amid tensions over unemployment, crime, undocumented migration and access to public services.

Nigeria and South Africa have maintained strong political and economic ties, although relations have occasionally been strained by attacks against Nigerians and disagreements over immigration and other bilateral issues.

The Federal Government has consistently maintained that the protection of Nigerians abroad remains a key responsibility of its foreign policy.

The Wednesday flight will provide another opportunity for citizens seeking to leave South Africa to return home, while diplomatic engagements between Abuja and Pretoria continue over the safety and welfare of Nigerians living in the country.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not state whether further privately sponsored evacuation flights were being planned.