Another 83 Nigerians have returned to Nigeria from South Africa amid renewed concerns over xenophobic attacks and growing anti-foreigner sentiments in the country. The returnees arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, on Wednesday aboard a South African Airways flight from Johannesburg.
The latest group comprised 58 adults and 25 children. They were accompanied by two officials from the Nigerian Consulate-General in Johannesburg and were received in Lagos by Haruna Ali-Gombe, Director of African Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the return was made possible through the intervention of private individuals who sponsored the returnees’ air tickets, allowing them to leave South Africa safely.
Upon arrival, the returnees were handed over to relevant government agencies for documentation, profiling and reintegration before being reunited with their families.
The latest repatriation is part of Nigeria’s voluntary return programme for citizens who no longer feel safe in South Africa. Previous evacuations had already brought nearly 1,490 Nigerians back to the country, with the latest batch bringing the total number repatriated under the programme to about 1,573, according to reports.
The development comes amid renewed concerns over xenophobic and Afrophobic attacks against foreigners in South Africa. Nigerian authorities have repeatedly called for stronger measures to protect Nigerians living and doing business in the country and urged South African authorities to hold perpetrators of violence accountable.
The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Sola Enikanolaiye, recently called for urgent measures to address xenophobia, saying the problem requires stronger migration governance, responsible leadership and deeper ties among African countries.
The government has also urged other state governments, private organisations and well-meaning Nigerians to support citizens affected by xenophobic attacks and those seeking to return home.
Some state governments have already begun assisting returnees. Imo State, for instance, has started disbursing N1 million each to returning indigenes, while Abia State approved similar assistance for 31 verified returnees of Abia origin.
Post a Comment