ABUJA, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)-The Federal Government has announced that another 271 Nigerians affected by the recent xenophobic protests in South Africa will arrive in Lagos on Friday as the ongoing evacuation exercise continues.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs disclosed this in a statement issued on Thursday by its spokesperson, Kimiebi Ebienfa, saying the latest batch would move the government closer to completing the evacuation of Nigerians who voluntarily registered to return home.
According to the ministry, the third evacuation flight is scheduled to land at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, at about 5:30 a.m. on Friday, July 3, 2026, with 271 returnees on board.
The ministry said 593 Nigerians had already been evacuated from South Africa in earlier operations.
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It explained that the first batch of 258 evacuees arrived in Lagos on June 11 aboard a special Air Peace flight and was received by the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye, on behalf of the Federal Government before being handed over to relevant ministries, departments and agencies for documentation and profiling.
The ministry said logistical challenges delayed the second evacuation flight, forcing some Nigerians to remain temporarily at the Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria, where they were accommodated and cared for by officials of the mission.
It added that a Nigerian philanthropist voluntarily paid the airfare for 66 stranded nationals, who returned to Lagos on June 24, while another 269 evacuees arrived on June 30 on the second government-arranged evacuation flight.
According to the ministry, three additional evacuation flights will be operated in the coming days to bring home about 700 more Nigerians who have voluntarily registered, been screened and cleared for evacuation.
Responding to allegations that officials of the Nigerian Mission demanded money from intending evacuees, the ministry dismissed the claims.
It stated, “For the avoidance of doubt, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs wishes to place on record that all the special evacuation flights are fully paid for by the Federal Government and at no cost to the returnees. This clarification is necessitated by insinuations and false allegations that some staff of the Nigerian Mission were requesting money before enlisting our nationals for the evacuation flights. That is totally false, fake news, and should be discarded.”
The ministry also commended the cooperation of relevant ministries, departments and agencies involved in the evacuation process.
It said, “The Ministry appreciates the very positive coordination and collaboration with relevant MDAs in making this process a success, and we will continue to work together for the good of our country.”
Reaffirming the government’s commitment to protecting Nigerians abroad, the ministry added, “The evacuation process clearly underscores the priority accorded to the protection of Nigerian citizens overseas, which remains a central pillar of Nigeria’s foreign policy and a core responsibility of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It also reflects the Government’s determination to ensure that Nigerians affected by crises abroad receive the necessary support, dignity, and care. The lives of Nigerians living abroad matter, and we are trying our best as a Ministry to give them a sense of belonging.”