The Federal Government has postponed the planned evacuation of Nigerian citizens seeking to return home from South Africa following a fresh wave of xenophobic attacks targeting foreign nationals in parts of the country.
 
The first batch of evacuees, originally scheduled to depart on Monday, will now be airlifted on Wednesday due to administrative and operational challenges, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has disclosed.
 
Spokesperson for the ministry, Kimiebi Ebienfa, confirmed the development in an official statement, attributing the delay to logistical issues encountered during preparations for the emergency evacuation exercise.
 
The ministry stated that the evacuation programme was approved by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as part of efforts to safeguard Nigerians affected by the renewed anti-foreigner violence in South Africa.
 
According to the ministry, five repatriation flights have been approved to transport Nigerians who have indicated their willingness to return home. The operation is being coordinated by Air Peace, which has been tasked with deploying aircraft for the exercise.
 
Officials said the first flight is expected to depart Johannesburg on Wednesday evening and is projected to carry about 270 Nigerians, subject to the completion of all diplomatic clearances and aviation landing approvals required for the operation.
 
The postponement has also provided authorities with additional time to expand the screening and documentation process for prospective evacuees. Consequently, the registration and profiling exercise has been extended until Wednesday to accommodate more Nigerians interested in participating in the programme.
 
Providing an update, Ebienfa said the Nigerian Mission in Pretoria had extended the screening exercise to ensure more affected citizens are processed.
 
“I received confirmation from our Mission in Pretoria that the screening exercise of Nigerian nationals who have indicated interest to be evacuated back home has been extended to Wednesday,” he said.
 
He added that more than 500 Nigerians had already been screened and cleared for evacuation, noting that the figure could rise as registration continues.
 
The Federal Government assured Nigerians residing in South Africa that efforts were ongoing to ensure their safe return. It also stated that diplomatic engagements with South African authorities were continuing to address the situation and guarantee the protection of Nigerians who choose to remain in the country.
 
The latest evacuation effort comes amid renewed concerns over xenophobic violence in South Africa, where foreign nationals, particularly African migrants, have previously faced attacks, intimidation and displacement during periods of social and economic tension.
 
Nigerian authorities said they are closely monitoring developments and remain committed to protecting the welfare, safety and security of affected citizens.