Odimmegwa Johnpeter/Abuja
The second evacuation flight arranged for Nigerians returning from South Africa has landed in Lagos with 269 passengers as the Federal Government intensifies efforts to bring home citizens affected by South Africa’s deadline for undocumented foreigners.
The Air Peace flight arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport on Tuesday morning, carrying returnees from Johannesburg. The evacuees were accompanied by officials from Nigeria’s diplomatic mission in South Africa.
Officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, led by the Director of the African Affairs Department, Ambassador Haruna Ali-Gombe, received the returnees on behalf of the Federal Government.
According to the ministry, the latest arrivals bring the total number of Nigerians evacuated in recent days to 335, following the arrival of 66 others on 24 June aboard a South African Airways flight facilitated by a Nigerian benefactor.
Ambassador Ali-Gombe conveyed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s message to the returnees, assuring them of the government’s commitment to the welfare and protection of Nigerians abroad.
“The Federal Government remains committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of Nigerian nationals wherever they reside,” he said.
The evacuation exercise comes ahead of South Africa’s 30 June deadline for undocumented foreign nationals to leave the country.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said additional evacuation flights were being planned for Nigerians who had been screened and cleared for voluntary return.
“The evacuation process is still on course and more flights are expected in the next few days to evacuate all Nigerians that have been screened and cleared to voluntarily return to the country,” the ministry said in a statement.
The government also said it would continue diplomatic engagement with South African authorities to safeguard the rights and interests of Nigerians living in the country.
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