Nigeria to Evacuate Citizens from South Africa Amid Xenophobia

The Nigerian government is advancing to the next phase of its repatriation plan for Nigerians stranded in South Africa, following the conclusion of a screening exercise. This process, conducted jointly by the Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria and the South African Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO), aims to verify the identities and immigration status of those eligible for evacuation.

Kimiebi Ebienfa, a spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, announced that the screening began on Thursday and is expected to produce definitive figures for the number of Nigerians needing repatriation. The evacuation plan comes amid heightened concerns for the safety of Nigerians in South Africa due to renewed xenophobic attacks linked to anti-immigrant sentiments.

Over 1,000 Nigerians have registered for voluntary evacuation. Once the screening is complete, the aviation diplomatic authorities will determine the number of aircraft required for the flights back to Nigeria, ensuring the process is conducted smoothly and without incident.