FG to Evacuate 271 More Nigerians from South Africa Today as Xenophobia Protests Continue
By Victor Idajili
Another 271 Nigerians caught up in the recent xenophobic protests in South Africa will land in Lagos today, Friday, July 3, 2026, as the Federal Government continues its evacuation exercise.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed the flight in a statement on Thursday by its spokesman, Kimiebi Ebienfa.
The third evacuation flight is expected to touch down at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, by 5:30 a.m. with 271 returnees on board.
With this batch, the government says it is getting closer to bringing home all Nigerians who voluntarily registered and were cleared to return.
A total of 593 Nigerians have already been evacuated:
June 11: 258 evacuees arrived on an Air Peace special flight. They were received by the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Amb. Sola Enikanolaiye, before being handed over to MDAs for profiling.
June 24: 66 stranded Nigerians flew home after a Nigerian philanthropist paid their airfares while they were sheltered at the High Commission in Pretoria due to logistics delays.
June 30: 269 evacuees arrived on the second government-arranged flight.
The ministry said three more flights will operate in the coming days to bring home about 700 additional Nigerians who have registered and been screened.
“No money was demanded,” FG insists.
The ministry dismissed reports that staff at the Nigerian Mission in South Africa asked returnees for money to board evacuation flights.
“All special evacuation flights are fully paid for by the Federal Government and at no cost to the returnees,” it said. “Allegations that mission staff were requesting money are totally false, fake news, and should be discarded.”
South Africa has seen renewed anti-immigration protests since around June 30, 2026. The demonstrations started in major cities and migrant communities, with groups demanding stricter enforcement of immigration laws. They blame undocumented foreigners for unemployment, crime, and pressure on public services.
What began as marches escalated in some areas to violence and looting of foreign-owned shops and homes. While South African authorities say the protests target illegal migration, not specific nationalities, many African nationals have been affected.
The unrest has revived fears of xenophobic attacks, which have surfaced repeatedly in South Africa over the last decade during periods of economic hardship.
“The evacuation process underscores the priority we place on protecting Nigerians abroad,” the ministry said. “It reflects the government’s determination to ensure that citizens affected by crises abroad receive support, dignity, and care. The lives of Nigerians living abroad matter.”
The ministry also thanked other government agencies for coordinating the exercise.
