Another group of Nigerians will return home from South Africa on Wednesday, just weeks after the federal government wrapped up its last evacuation.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 83 Nigerians are scheduled to land at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos at about 8:45pm aboard a South African Airways flight.
Foreign Affairs spokesperson, Kimiebi Ebienfa, said this round is not being funded by government. Instead, private individuals stepped in to pay for the tickets.
The announcement comes after a rise in xenophobic attacks in South Africa. It also follows the Nigerian High Commission’s decision to reopen registration for a second repatriation exercise.
Acting High Commissioner to South Africa, Alexander Ajayi, told TheCable the mission had been compiling names and would activate the process once partners agreed to sponsor return fares. The portal for registration was kept open until August 12.
The ministry thanked the sponsors, calling their support a strong example of the “whole of society approach” the government is pushing to protect citizens abroad.
“Their patriotism and selflessness have significantly alleviated the plight of our compatriots in South Africa,” the statement said.
The federal government is now urging state governments, corporate bodies, and other individuals to support similar efforts.
The new repatriation also comes as the anti-migrant group March and March set September 30 as a deadline for undocumented migrants to leave South Africa.
