The Federal Government of Nigeria has evacuated a second batch of 66 citizens from South Africa following renewed xenophobic attacks targeting Nigerians in the country.
The evacuees arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos on Wednesday night as part of the ongoing evacuation exercise approved by Bola Ahmed Tinubu in response to the latest wave of xenophobic violence.
The evacuation follows the arrival of the first batch of 258 evacuees on June 11, who returned aboard a chartered flight operated by Air Peace.
Head of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission office in Lagos, Dipo Onabowale, disclosed that the latest evacuation was facilitated by Kunle Soname, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of ValueJet, with officials of the Nigerian High Commission in South Africa accompanying the returnees.
Onabowale, speaking on behalf of Abike Dabiri-Erewa, commended President Tinubu for authorizing the evacuation process.
“There are 66 people in the second batch. Logistical challenges encountered during the first evacuation exercise are being addressed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“The Foreign Affairs Minister Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, has assured that all registered Nigerians in South Africa would be evacuated,” Onabowale said.
