The Federal Government says the final batch of stranded Nigerians in South Africa will arrive in Lagos on Wednesday, marking the end of its evacuation operation.
In a statement on Tuesday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said 315 returnees are expected on an Air Peace flight scheduled to depart Johannesburg at 1:30 a.m. on July 15 and land at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport around 6:30 a.m.
The flight is the fifth and final evacuation arranged by the government following renewed xenophobic attacks and security concerns in parts of South Africa.
Hundreds of Nigerians have already been repatriated in earlier flights as part of a government-backed effort to protect citizens affected by the violence. Previous evacuations brought back over 800 Nigerians in multiple batches operated by Air Peace.
Authorities said the evacuation was voluntary and targeted Nigerians who registered to return home amid rising anti-migrant tensions. More than 1,000 Nigerians had earlier indicated interest in leaving South Africa due to safety concerns.
The Ministry reaffirmed the government’s commitment to safeguarding Nigerians abroad and thanked stakeholders involved in the evacuation exercise.
