South Africa has begun the repatriation of 586 Nigerians found to be residing in the country illegally, with the first batch of 258 returnees arriving in Lagos on Thursday amid growing concerns over xenophobic attacks targeting foreign nationals.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the department disclosed that the first repatriation flight departed on the morning of June 11, 2026, carrying 268 Nigerians back to their country.
The remaining individuals are expected to leave South Africa on a second flight scheduled for June 15.
The statement read, “The Department of Home Affairs confirms that it has processed 586 Nigerian nationals for repatriation after they were found to be residing in the Republic of South Africa illegally.
“The first repatriation flight departed on the morning of 11 June 2026, carrying 268 passengers.
“A second flight, which will transport the remaining individuals from the group of 586 processed for repatriation, is scheduled to depart on Monday, 15 June 2026.”
According to the department, all those processed for repatriation were issued emergency travel documents by the Nigerian High Commission to facilitate their departure from South Africa and return to Nigeria.
It added that, in line with the country’s Immigration Act, the affected individuals had been declared undesirable persons and would be barred from re-entering South Africa for five years.
The department thanked the Nigerian High Commission for its cooperation throughout the documentation and repatriation process.
It also reminded foreign nationals residing in South Africa that they must possess valid visas or other legal authorisations to remain in the country and ensure their immigration status complies with South African laws at all times.
“The Department further reminds all foreign nationals residing in South Africa that they are required to have valid visas or other authorisations that entitle them to remain in the Republic lawfully.
“Foreign nationals must ensure that their immigration status remains compliant with South African immigration laws at all times and to regularise their stay,” the statement added.
Commenting on the exercise, South Africa’s Minister of Home Affairs, Dr Leon Schreiber, said the government remained committed to enforcing immigration laws and restoring the rule of law.
“Home Affairs is irrevocably committed to enforcing South Africa’s immigration laws and restoring the rule of law. Our ongoing orderly and lawful deportations and repatriations, which have increased by 46 per cent over the past two years, are clear evidence of this,” he stated.
Schreiber added that the government’s broader reform agenda would further strengthen immigration enforcement and identity management systems.
“Our reform agenda, as recently affirmed by President Cyril Ramaphosa, including the ongoing scale-up of the Electronic Travel Authorisation to record biometrics for every foreigner entering our country, the replacement of the fraud-prone green ID book with smart ID cards through our digital partnership with the banks, and the introduction of a cutting-edge digital identity system, is systematically enhancing our capacity to enforce immigration laws.
“In this context of ongoing progress, the public is again urged to never engage in violence or take the law into their own hands.”
The repatriation comes amid intensified efforts by South African authorities to tighten immigration enforcement and address concerns over undocumented migration.
Meanwhile, the first batch of 258 Nigerians arrived in Lagos on Thursday.
The returnees arrived at the International Wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, aboard a special Air Peace flight at about 10:31am
They were received by the Chairman/CEO of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, alongside other government officials.
The evacuees, many of whom left behind businesses, jobs and personal belongings, were accompanied by officials of the Nigerian Mission in South Africa led by Temitope Alexander Ajayi.
Upon arrival, the returnees commenced documentation, immigration clearance, profiling and medical screening procedures, while authorities arranged temporary accommodation and support services ahead of their reunions with family members.
Speaking on behalf of the Federal Government, the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Sola Enikanolaiye, described the evacuation as a demonstration of President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to the welfare and safety of Nigerians abroad.
“The Federal Government of Nigeria will not stand idly by while our citizens are subjected to attacks and harassment, wherever they may be in the world,” Enikanolaiye said.
He added that the swift evacuation reflected Nigeria’s citizen-centred foreign policy and reassured Nigerians living overseas that their welfare remained a priority for the government.
The minister commended the Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria for coordinating the operation and urged Nigerians residing in South Africa to remain law-abiding, vigilant and promptly report threats to the mission.
Enikanolaiye further disclosed that the Federal Government was engaging South African authorities through diplomatic channels to ensure the protection of Nigerian nationals and address the underlying causes of the attacks.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the evacuation was carried out in collaboration with the Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria and several agencies, including the Ministries of Humanitarian Affairs, Aviation and Health, the Nigeria Immigration Service and security agencies.
The ministry explained that the operation underscored the government’s determination to protect Nigerian citizens and uphold their dignity in the face of violence and intolerance.
Additional evacuation flights are expected in the coming days as authorities continue efforts to assist Nigerians affected by the xenophobic attacks, offering a lifeline to many who returned home seeking safety after weeks of fear and uncertainty in South Africa.
