Nigeria Resumes Evacuation of Citizens from South Africa

The Federal Government of Nigeria is set to evacuate 271 Nigerians stranded in South Africa amid growing concerns over threats against undocumented foreigners. Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, announced that an Air Peace aircraft will depart Nigeria on June 29, 2026, at 3:00 PM and is expected to arrive in South Africa at 9:00 PM local time.

The return flight is scheduled to depart South Africa at midnight and is expected to land at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos on the morning of June 30, 2026. This evacuation comes ahead of a June 30, 2026, deadline issued by anti-immigrant vigilante groups demanding that undocumented foreigners, particularly black migrants, leave South Africa.

The situation has sparked fears of xenophobic attacks, prompting several African countries to begin evacuating their citizens. South African authorities have condemned the actions of these vigilante groups and have deployed police and military personnel to enhance security across the country.