FG Concludes South Africa Evacuation As Final Flight Carrying 315 Nigerians Arrives Wednesday

FG Concludes South Africa Evacuation as Final Flight Carrying 315 Nigerians Arrives Wednesday The Federal Government has announced that the final evacuation flight bringing home 315 Nigerians from South Africa will arrive at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, marking the end of its emergency repatriation programme following recent xenophobic attacks and security concerns. In a statement issued on Tuesday, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, said the Air Peace-operated flight will depart Johannesburg at 1:30 a.m. and is expected to land in Lagos at approximately 6:30 a.m. According to the ministry, the latest batch represents the fifth and final group of Nigerians who voluntarily opted to return home after the outbreak of xenophobic violence in parts of South Africa. The Federal Government had earlier completed four evacuation flights, returning hundreds of affected Nigerians to the country. The immediate past flight brought home 40 returnees as authorities continued efforts to assist citizens wishing to leave South Africa. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reaffirmed the government’s commitment to protecting the lives and welfare of Nigerians abroad and expressed appreciation to Air Peace and all agencies and stakeholders involved in the evacuation exercise. The conclusion of the evacuation operation comes after weeks of coordinated efforts by Nigerian authorities to assist citizens affected by the wave of attacks and insecurity in South Africa, providing safe passage for those who chose to return home.