First batch of 258 Nigerians evacuated from South Africa arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos on Thursday following renewed xenophobic attacks in the country.
The returnees were brought home aboard an Air Peace flight and were received by the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Sola Enikanolaiye, alongside other government officials.
They were accompanied by officials of the Nigerian Mission in South Africa led by the Acting High Commissioner, Temitope Ajayi.
Speaking at the airport, Enikanolaiye said Nigeria would not remain silent while its citizens face attacks and harassment abroad, describing the evacuation as a necessary intervention.
The minister also commended the Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria for its coordination of the evacuation process and urged Nigerians still in South Africa to remain law-abiding and report security threats.
He said the Federal Government is engaging South African authorities to ensure the safety of Nigerians and address the causes of the violence.
Conveying President Bola Tinubu’s message to the returnees, the minister said, “No Nigerian should live in fear simply because of their nationality. The evacuation does not signal defeat; it underscores the proactive and citizen-centred foreign policy of the Tinubu administration.”
According to the ministry, the returnees will undergo documentation, profiling and medical checks before receiving temporary accommodation and support ahead of reuniting with their families, while more evacuation flights are expected in the coming days.
