Michael Olugbode in Abuja
The federal government is set to move to the next phase of its emergency repatriation plan for Nigerians stranded in South Africa, with arrangements for the deployment of aircraft expected to commence immediately after the screening exercise that ended yesterday.
The spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa, in a message to journalists on a WhatsApp group, disclosed that the verification process, which began on Thursday, was being jointly conducted by the Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria; South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO); the South African Police Service and immigration authorities to determine those eligible for evacuation.
He noted that the exercise was expected to produce a definitive figure of Nigerians cleared for return, enabling authorities to finalise logistics for the airlift operation.
“At the end of the screening, we will have a definite figure that has been cleared for evacuation. Thereafter, the government will finalise the details about the deployment of aircraft to bring them home,” Ebienfa said.
The planned evacuation comes amid heightened concerns over the safety of Nigerians and other foreign nationals in South Africa following renewed attacks, intimidation and threats linked to anti-immigrant sentiment in parts of the country.
Reports of violence, looting, and harassment targeting African migrants have triggered anxiety among members of the Nigerian community, prompting many to seek assistance from Nigerian authorities to return home.
The latest repatriation effort follows a series of xenophobic incidents that have periodically strained relations between Africa’s two largest economies. In previous waves of attacks, Nigerian-owned businesses were vandalised, while several citizens were forced to flee affected communities. Similar incidents in 2008, 2015, and 2019 resulted in deaths, injuries, and the displacement of thousands of foreign nationals.
The situation escalated in recent weeks after reports emerged of growing hostility towards migrants in some South African communities, leading more than 1,000 Nigerians to register for voluntary evacuation.
Ebienfa said the ongoing screening was intended to verify identities, immigration status, and travel documentation to ensure a smooth and orderly evacuation process.
“Once the verification exercise is completed, aviation and diplomatic authorities are expected to determine the number of aircraft required, flight schedules and reception arrangements for returnees in Nigeria,” Ebienfa revealed.
