The Federal Government is set to evacuate another group of Nigerians from South Africa as concerns over the safety of its citizens persist following recent anti-immigration protests and attacks.
The evacuation flight is scheduled to depart Johannesburg on Tuesday and arrive in Lagos on Wednesday, July 8. It will be the fifth evacuation exercise since the protests began.
The latest operation follows the return of four previous batches of Nigerians. A total of 258 citizens arrived on June 11, 66 on June 24, 269 on June 30, and 266 on July 3. The government aims to evacuate about 700 Nigerians in the current phase.
In a statement issued on Monday, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, said the final evacuation flights are expected to leave South Africa by July 10.
She urged Nigerians still in South Africa to carefully assess the security situation, stressing that while lost property and investments can be replaced, lives cannot.
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The minister expressed concern over the killing of two Nigerians during the unrest. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Emeka Charles Iroegbu allegedly died in police custody in Pretoria on June 28 after being subjected to brutal interrogation by officers of the Tshwane Metro Police.
The second victim, Musa Yunana Joe, also known as “Big Joe,” was reportedly shot dead by unidentified attackers outside his shop in Witbank, Mpumalanga, on the same day.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu said there were no clear signs that the security situation had improved and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to protecting Nigerian citizens abroad.
The ministry also disclosed that it is considering seeking compensation from the South African government for Nigerians who abandoned their businesses and properties while fleeing the violence.
The anti-immigration protests intensified after demonstrators demanded that undocumented migrants leave the country before the end of June.
Meanwhile, the violence has affected other foreign nationals. Ghana confirmed the death of one of its citizens, Bashiru Isak, who was shot in Khayelitsha, Cape Town. However, South African authorities said the incident occurred before the protests and was not linked to the anti-immigration demonstrations.
