KEY POINTS

• FG announces four additional flights to evacuate Nigerians from South Africa after xenophobic violence.
• Screening exercise extended to Sunday as over 1,000 Nigerians express interest in repatriation.
• Returnees will be housed temporarily by NCFRMI before reunification with families, while diplomatic talks continue with South Africa.

The Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced that four additional flights will be deployed to bring back Nigerians who have expressed interest in leaving South Africa following recent xenophobic violence.

The development comes after the first batch of 258 returnees arrived at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos on Thursday morning, marking the beginning of a wider evacuation exercise supported by the Federal Government.

According to the Ministry’s spokesperson, Kimiebi Ebienfa, over 1,000 Nigerians have already participated in the screening process, with officials noting that the number of applicants continues to rise.

He explained that the screening exercise, which was initially scheduled to end on Saturday, has now been extended to Sunday to allow more Nigerians to be assessed and included in the evacuation programme.

The extension, he said, was necessary to ensure that all interested citizens are given the opportunity to benefit from the government-funded repatriation flights.

Government-funded evacuation operation

Ebienfa confirmed that a total of five flights have been secured by the Federal Government, with the first already completed and subsequent flights expected to arrive from next week, starting Monday.

He added that the returnees would be temporarily accommodated at a facility managed by the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), where they will undergo documentation before being reunited with their families across Nigeria.

The ministry also reiterated that Nigeria will continue diplomatic engagement with South African authorities to address underlying tensions and improve bilateral relations.

Officials said the evacuation is part of a coordinated response involving multiple government agencies aimed at ensuring the safety and dignity of Nigerians affected by the unrest.

The Federal Government maintains that it will continue to monitor the situation and support citizens abroad while pursuing diplomatic solutions to prevent future occurrences.