Key points
- The Federal Government says 83 Nigerians returning from South Africa will arrive in Lagos on Wednesday.
- The returnees are expected to depart Johannesburg at 3:35 p.m. local time and arrive at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport at about 8:45 p.m.
- Their repatriation was facilitated through ticket sponsorship by private individuals.
- The development follows the government’s earlier voluntary repatriation programme, which brought nearly 1,490 Nigerians back from South Africa.
- The government says it will continue working with South Africa to address Afrophobia, violence and discrimination against Nigerians.
Main Story
The Federal Government has announced that 83 Nigerian returnees from South Africa are expected to arrive at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, on Wednesday.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs disclosed this in a statement issued in Abuja on Tuesday by its spokesman, Kimiebi Ebienfa, who said the returnees would depart Johannesburg at 3:35 p.m. local time aboard South African Airways and arrive in Lagos at approximately 8:45 p.m.
According to Ebienfa, the latest repatriation was made possible through the intervention of public-spirited private individuals who sponsored the returnees’ air tickets. He expressed the government’s appreciation for their humanitarian support and described the initiative as an example of public-private collaboration in addressing challenges confronting Nigerians abroad.
The development follows the completion of the Federal Government’s voluntary repatriation programme, under which nearly 1,490 Nigerian citizens were repatriated from South Africa amid concerns over rising Afrophobic attacks and anti-foreigner sentiments.
The Issues
The latest repatriation highlights continuing concerns over the safety and welfare of Nigerians living in South Africa, particularly amid reported cases of xenophobia, violence and discrimination against foreign nationals. It also raises the need for stronger bilateral measures to address the root causes of Afrophobia and protect Nigerians in the diaspora.
What’s Being Said
Ebienfa said the Federal Government remained committed to safeguarding the welfare and dignity of Nigerians at home and abroad, stressing that Nigerians in the diaspora should be regarded as “critical assets for national development.”
He also called on the organised private sector, corporate organisations, state governments and other Nigerians in the diaspora to support government efforts during consular emergencies, describing the intervention by private sponsors as a demonstration of patriotism and selflessness.
What’s Next
The government said it would deepen strategic partnerships with South Africa and other host countries to tackle the root causes of Afrophobia, while working to prevent and condemn acts of violence and discrimination against Nigerians and ensure perpetrators are held accountable.
Bottom Line
The arrival of the 83 returnees represents another intervention by the Federal Government to protect Nigerians facing difficult circumstances abroad, while underscoring the growing role of private-sector and philanthropic support in emergency consular assistance.
