The Federal Government has assured Nigerians living in South Africa that all citizens who have indicated interest in returning home amid ongoing anti-migrant attacks will be evacuated before the June 30 deadline.
The assurance was given by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, in a press statement issued on Thursday and signed by the Special Assistant on Communication and New Media, Magnus Eze. She said the Tinubu administration remains committed to the safety and welfare of Nigerians abroad and will ensure that no willing returnee is left behind.
According to the minister, evacuation efforts are already ongoing, with the first batch of 258 Nigerians successfully airlifted from South Africa and received by the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye, at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos on June 11. She added that about 1,000 Nigerians had registered for evacuation, with arrangements underway to bring back the remaining citizens.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu noted that over 742 Nigerians are expected to be evacuated in subsequent flights before the deadline. She said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had directed that Nigerians exposed to harassment and danger in South Africa, and who voluntarily wish to return, should be assisted without delay.
She explained that the Federal Government is engaging South African authorities through diplomatic channels while exploring lawful options to address the situation. The minister also expressed concern over the reported discrimination and attacks against Nigerians and other African migrants, stressing that any further action would follow constitutional provisions and due legislative process.
She further described the impact of anti-migrant vigilante groups as damaging to South Africa’s reputation, noting that other African countries including Ghana, Malawi, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique have also begun evacuating their nationals. Odumegwu-Ojukwu added that South Africa had declined to activate a previously signed October 2025 Memorandum of Understanding on an early warning mechanism, while also disputing its binding nature, even as tensions continue to rise across affected communities.
Elijah Adeyemi
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