Nigeria Evacuates More Citizens from South Africa Amid Xenophobic Violence

The Federal Government of Nigeria continued its emergency repatriation programme for citizens affected by xenophobic attacks in South Africa. An additional flight operated by Air Peace carried 39 Nigerians who missed a prior evacuation, arriving at Lagos’s Murtala Muhammed International Airport on Friday. The minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu‑Ojukwu, said the aircraft would join the final phase of the operation, which aims to return about 300 more Nigerians next week.

Earlier, a fourth evacuation flight landed in Lagos, delivering 284 passengers – 282 returnees and two officials – including 12 infants. The programme, launched on 11 June 2026 after several Nigerians were killed in the unrest, has been extended beyond its original 30 June deadline by President Bola Tinubu to ensure all stranded nationals can return safely.