Nigerians Repatriated from South Africa Amid Violence

On Thursday morning, the first batch of 262 Nigerians arrived at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos after being repatriated from South Africa. This repatriation was fully funded by the Nigerian government as part of an exercise ordered by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to protect Nigerians whose lives were at risk abroad.

The evacuation was prompted by escalating anti-immigrant hostility in South Africa, which began in April 2026, leading to widespread protests and violence against foreign nationals. The unrest intensified, with citizens-led groups issuing ultimatums for undocumented foreigners to leave the country by June 30.

The situation resulted in violent outbreaks, with mobs targeting and assaulting black foreign nationals, accusing them of contributing to South Africa's economic difficulties and high crime rates. Reports indicated the death of two Nigerians during security incidents in the preceding month, prompting the Nigerian National Assembly to formally condemn the attacks and demand immediate intervention.

Nigeria joined other African nations, including Ghana, Mozambique, and Malawi, in initiating similar state-funded evacuation operations.