Group seeks expedited repatriation of Nigerians from South Africa

The Nigerian Union South Africa (NUSA) has renewed its appeal to the Nigerian Federal Government, urging the urgent facilitation of repatriation for Nigerians currently stranded in South Africa. The call comes in the wake of renewed xenophobic attacks and the subsequent cancellation of a planned evacuation flight.

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Good evening, gentlemen of the press. There will be no evacuation flight tomorrow.

While the government had successfully repatriated 258 Nigerians on June 11 via an Air Peace flight, a subsequent announcement on Monday indicated that further planned evacuation flights would not proceed. This cancellation has led to significant uncertainty and distress among the Nigerians awaiting return.

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We are deeply concerned about the plight of our citizens who have been waiting patiently for repatriation. Many of them are facing severe economic hardship and uncertainty.

NUSA's President-General, Smart Nwobi, expressed deep concern over the delay, highlighting that many vulnerable citizens are facing severe economic hardship and uncertainty. He stressed that the welfare and safe return of Nigerians abroad are both constitutional and moral responsibilities of the Nigerian government. The inability of the scheduled June 15 flight to depart has compounded the challenges for those affected and their families.

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The inability of the scheduled flight of 15 June 2026 to airlift these Nigerians has further compounded their challenges and raised serious concerns among affected individuals and their families.

The union is calling for transparency and timely communication from relevant government bodies, including the Nigerian Ambassador to South Africa, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria. NUSA seeks clarification on the specific hurdles that led to the suspension or delay of the repatriation exercise, emphasizing that Nigerians deserve to know the challenges and the measures being taken to resolve them. The organization reiterated that the safety, dignity, and wellbeing of Nigerian citizens must remain the paramount concern.

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We respectfully urge the relevant authorities to clarify the hurdles that led to the suspension or delay of the repatriation exercise. Nigerians deserve to know what challenges exist and what measures are being taken to resolve them. The safety, dignity, and wellbeing of our citizens must remain paramount.