- Xenophobia: 66 Nigerians Arrive Lagos in Fresh FG Evacuation Exercise
- The latest evacuation comes barely two weeks after the first batch of 258 Nigerians returned
- Hon. Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, had assured that all Nigerians who registered for evacuation in South Africa would be brought back home
The Federal Government has evacuated a second batch of 66 Nigerians from South Africa following renewed xenophobic attacks targeting foreign nationals.
Eko Hot Blog reports that the returnees arrived at the international wing of the airport in Lagos on Wednesday night as part of the ongoing evacuation exercise approved by President Bola Tinubu to bring stranded Nigerians home safely.
The latest evacuation comes barely two weeks after the first batch of 258 Nigerians returned aboard a chartered Air Peace flight on June 11.
Speaking on behalf of the Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, the Head of NiDCOM in Lagos, Mr. Dipo Onabowale, said the exercise was facilitated by the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of ValueJet, Mr. Kunle Soname, with officials of the Nigerian High Commission in South Africa accompanying the evacuees.
According to him, the Federal Government remains committed to ensuring the safe return of all Nigerians affected by the attacks.
“There are 66 people in the second batch. Logistical challenges encountered during the first evacuation exercise are being addressed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,” Onabowale said.
He added that the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon. Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, had assured that all Nigerians who registered for evacuation in South Africa would be brought back home.
The evacuation exercise forms part of the Federal Government’s response to the latest wave of xenophobic violence in South Africa, which has forced many Nigerians to seek urgent assistance to return home.
FURTHER READING
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- Lagos Intensifies Waste Evacuation, Deploys New Measures To Improve Collection
- Lagos Introduces Heel-Prick Test for Early Detection of Sickle Cell Disease
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