The Federal Government has evacuated another 287 Nigerians from South Africa as part of its ongoing efforts to bring home citizens affected by the wave of xenophobic attacks and anti-migrant protests in the country.
Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, disclosed the development in a post shared on her X account on Thursday.
According to the minister, the fourth evacuation flight departed Oliver Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg at 2:50 p.m. South Africa time on Wednesday, July 9, conveying Nigerians who opted to return home following the unrest.
She said the flight carried 287 Nigerian nationals, made up of 272 adults and 12 infants, alongside airline crew and Nigerian government officials.
Bianca also revealed that the evacuation initially encountered a setback after the Air Peace aircraft scheduled for the operation reportedly suffered a shattered windshield in Johannesburg.
However, she noted that the airline promptly deployed another aircraft to ensure the evacuation proceeded without further delay.
She added that the flight was expected to arrive in Nigeria at 7:30 p.m.
Reaffirming the Federal Government’s commitment to the welfare of Nigerians abroad, the minister wrote:
“The Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria remains committed to providing a pathway to safety for it’s citizens who consider themselves and their families at risk by remaining in South Africa as a result of the anti-migrant protests and incidents which have engulfed the country.”