The Federal Government has evacuated another 105 distressed Nigerians from South Africa, raising the number of Nigerians brought home since the commencement of the exercise in June to 1,821, amid continued concerns over xenophobic and Afrophobic attacks in the country.
The latest batch, comprising 82 adults and 23 children, arrived in Lagos at about 8:30pm on Thursday, September 24, aboard South African Airways flight SA060.
They were received by officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and other relevant Federal Government agencies.
The development was contained in a statement issued on Saturday by the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Oluwafemi Adeniyi.
RCCG Funds Return Of 100 Nigerians
According to the ministry, the return of 100 of the 105 evacuees was funded from a $265,854 donation by the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) towards the purchase of one-way tickets for 500 distressed Nigerians seeking to leave South Africa.
The remaining five returnees were evacuated with funding provided by a private Nigerian citizen, the ministry said.
The Federal Government expressed appreciation to RCCG, under the leadership of Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye, for supporting Nigerians who wished to return home because of distress and concerns over their safety.
It also acknowledged other groups and individuals that have supported the evacuation programme.
The latest evacuation represents the 13th consular evacuation from South Africa since the exercise began on June 10, 2026.
With the arrival of the latest batch, the total number of Nigerians evacuated has risen to 1,821, out of which the Federal Government said it fully funded the evacuation of 1,388 persons.
The ministry said the Nigerian diplomatic mission in South Africa remains engaged with RCCG leadership in the country, other philanthropic organisations and individuals to facilitate the return of Nigerians who are still in distress.
It added that some other Nigerians were currently undergoing preliminary clearance with the Nigerian Consulate in Johannesburg and relevant South African authorities.
“They will be evacuated as soon as the process is finalised”, the ministry said.
The evacuation exercise followed concerns over the safety of Nigerians and other Africans in South Africa amid reported xenophobic and Afrophobic attacks.
The Federal Government said it remains concerned about the persistence of such attacks and is pursuing diplomatic engagements with South African authorities to address xenophobia and Afrophobia and protect Nigerians living in the country.
It said its diplomatic efforts were to secure stronger cooperation from South African authorities to tackle the attacks and ensure the safety, security and dignity of Nigerians residing there.
The government further assured Nigerians in the diaspora that protecting their lives, rights, welfare and dignity remained a priority. It urged Nigerians in South Africa to remain vigilant and law-abiding and to maintain contact with the Nigeria High Commission in Pretoria and the Consulate General of Nigeria in Johannesburg whenever they require consular assistance.
