Xenophobia: FG to Deploy Aircraft to Evacuate Nigerians in South Africa, Concludes Screening

Nigeria is set to begin the next phase of its emergency repatriation plan for citizens stranded in South Africa, with aircraft deployment imminent following the conclusion of a crucial screening exercise. The verification process, a joint effort by the Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria, South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO), and local police and immigration authorities, aims to identify those eligible for evacuation.

"At the end of the screening, we will have a definite figure that has been cleared for evacuation. Thereafter, the government will finalise the details about the deployment of aircraft to bring them home," stated Kimiebi Ebienfa, spokesman for Nigeria's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This airlift operation is a direct response to escalating concerns over the safety of Nigerians and other foreign nationals amidst renewed anti-immigrant sentiment and attacks in parts of South Africa.

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At the end of the screening, we will have a definite figure that has been cleared for evacuation. Thereafter, the government will finalise the details about the deployment of aircraft to bring them home.

Reports of violence, looting, and harassment targeting African migrants have fueled anxiety within the Nigerian community, prompting many to seek assistance from their government for a return home. This latest repatriation effort comes after a series of xenophobic incidents that have periodically strained relations between the two African economic powerhouses. Past waves of attacks have seen Nigerian-owned businesses vandalized and citizens forced to flee their communities, with incidents in 2008, 2015, and 2019 resulting in deaths, injuries, and displacement.

The situation has intensified recently, with hostility towards migrants reportedly growing in some South African communities. This has led over 1,000 Nigerians to register for voluntary evacuation. Ebienfa emphasized that the screening is designed to verify identities, immigration status, and travel documents, ensuring a smooth and orderly process. "Once the verification exercise is completed, aviation and diplomatic authorities are expected to determine the number of aircraft required, flight schedules and reception arrangements for returnees in Nigeria," he added.

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Once the verification exercise is completed, aviation and diplomatic authorities are expected to determine the number of aircraft required, flight schedules and reception arrangements for returnees in Nigeria.