LAGOS JUNE 11TH (NEWSRANGERS)-The first batch of Nigerians being repatriated from South Africa following renewed xenophobic attacks against foreign nationals has arrived in Lagos.
The 268 returnees landed at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, at about 10:30 a.m. on Thursday aboard an Air Peace evacuation flight arranged by the Federal Government.
Their arrival was confirmed through an official update shared on the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) WhatsApp platform monitored by SaharaReporters.
The evacuation is part of the Nigerian Government’s response to the latest wave of anti-immigrant violence that has swept across parts of South Africa, forcing thousands of African migrants to flee for safety.
The Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs had earlier disclosed that more than 1,000 Nigerians registered for voluntary repatriation amid growing fears over attacks targeting foreign nationals in the country. Screening exercises were subsequently conducted jointly by Nigerian and South African authorities before the evacuation process commenced.
SaharaReporters had reported that the Nigerian Government approved multiple evacuation flights to bring back Nigerians willing to return home as tensions escalated in South Africa. The first batch of 268 returnees was scheduled to arrive in Lagos on Thursday.
The latest xenophobic crisis has triggered diplomatic concerns across Africa, with reports indicating that migrants from several countries, including Nigeria, Ghana, Malawi and Mozambique, have faced harassment, attacks and displacement.
South African authorities have condemned the violence, while President Cyril Ramaphosa pledged action against groups behind the attacks.
Anti-immigrant sentiment in South Africa has been fuelled by claims that foreign nationals are responsible for rising crime, unemployment and pressure on public services. However, rights groups and migration experts have repeatedly warned against scapegoating migrants for the country’s economic challenges.
The evacuation exercise is expected to continue in the coming days as hundreds of other Nigerians who registered for voluntary return await transportation back to Nigeria.
SaharaReporters
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