258 Nigerians Evacuated from South Africa Arrive in Lagos Amid Xenophobic Attacks
The 258 returnees landed at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos at about 10:25 a.m. on Thursday aboard an Air Peace flight. They were accompanied by officials of the Nigerian Mission in South Africa, led by Acting High Commissioner, Temitope Ajayi.
Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Sola Enikanolaiye, alongside government officials, received the evacuees at the airport.
Speaking during the reception, Enikanolaiye assured the returnees that Nigeria would not remain silent while its citizens face attacks and harassment abroad, describing the evacuation as a swift and necessary intervention by the Federal Government.
In a statement issued after their arrival, Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesperson, Kimiebi Ebienfa, commended the Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria for its coordination of the evacuation exercise. The minister also urged Nigerians still residing in South Africa to remain law-abiding, stay vigilant, and report security threats to the Nigerian Mission.
According to the minister, the Federal Government is engaging South African authorities at the highest level to ensure the safety of Nigerian citizens and address the causes of the recurring xenophobic violence.
Enikanolaiye conveyed the goodwill message of President Bola Tinubu to the returnees, stressing that no Nigerian should live in fear because of their nationality.
“The evacuation does not signal defeat; rather, it reflects the proactive and citizen-focused foreign policy of the Tinubu administration,” part of the statement read.
The ministry disclosed that additional evacuation flights are expected in the coming days as efforts continue to bring more Nigerians home. The returnees will undergo documentation, profiling, and medical screening before being provided temporary accommodation and reunited with their families.
Meanwhile, countries including Ghana, Mozambique, and Malawi have also repatriated hundreds of their citizens in recent weeks following the unrest in South Africa, Africa’s largest economy and home to more than three million foreign nationals.
VIDEO: Evacuated Nigerians arrive from South Africa following Xenophobic attacks
The first batch of Nigerians evacuated from South Africa following recent xenophobic attacks against African migrants has arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.
The… pic.twitter.com/yW121uB7Hy
— The Nation Nigeria (@TheNationNews) June 11, 2026
VIDEO: FG Receives Evacuated Nigerians from South Africa, Promises Support
Nigerians, including women and children, have returned home from South Africa aboard an Air Peace evacuation flight that landed at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, at about 10:35 a.m. pic.twitter.com/uiVx8sJxSl
— TVC News (@tvcnewsng) June 11, 2026
