Xenophobia: Nigeria to Evacuate 270 Additional Citizens from South Africa Wednesday

| By: Francis Onyemachi

The Federal Government has finalised plans to evacuate another 270 Nigerians from South Africa as part of its ongoing voluntary repatriation programme.

The returnees are expected to arrive at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, in the early hours of Wednesday aboard an Air Peace aircraft deployed for the evacuation.

Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, announced the schedule in a statement on Monday.

He said the aircraft would depart Lagos on Tuesday afternoon for Johannesburg before returning with the evacuees overnight.

“In continuation of the ongoing evacuation of our nationals from South Africa, the Air Peace aircraft deployed for the process is expected to depart Lagos tomorrow, Tuesday 7 July, 2026, for Johannesburg, South Africa at 3.30 p.m.

“The aircraft will depart Johannesburg for Lagos with 270 returnees at 12.00 midnight, and the estimated time of arrival at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos is 5.00 a.m. on Wednesday, 8 July, 2026, all things being equal,” the statement read.

The evacuation is being coordinated by the Federal Government through the Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria and other relevant agencies to facilitate the voluntary return of Nigerians who have indicated a willingness to come home.

Air Peace has also continued to support government-assisted evacuation operations, including the repatriation of Nigerians from countries affected by conflicts and other emergencies.

The latest flight follows the arrival of another batch of evacuees at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport on Friday, July 3, aboard a chartered Air Peace flight from Johannesburg.

Mrs Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, minister of Foreign Affairs, said the flight brought back 268 Nigerians, alongside two officials and crew members.

Odumegwu-Ojukwu noted that three earlier evacuation flights had already returned 593 Nigerians before the latest operation, adding that the exercise remains open to Nigerians who voluntarily register, undergo screening, and are cleared for evacuation.

Meanwhile, the Federal Government has issued a new advisory to Nigerians living in South Africa, urging those who feel unsafe to take advantage of the remaining evacuation flights, with the final flight scheduled to arrive in Nigeria on July 10.

Odumegwu-Ojukwu gave the advice in a post on her verified X account on Monday while announcing a final call for documentation for Nigerians wishing to return under the ongoing evacuation programme.

She said the government remains deeply concerned about the safety of Nigerians in South Africa following the continued xenophobic protests and attacks on migrants, especially after the deaths of two Nigerians identified as  Musa Yunana Joe and Charles Iroegbu.

The minister urged Nigerians who believe their lives are at risk to register immediately for the remaining evacuation flights, saying, “There are no signs that the situation is improving.”

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