Nigeria brings home 66 citizens from South Africa in second evacuation

The Nigerian federal government repatriated a second batch of 66 citizens from South Africa, landing at Lagos' Murtala Muhammed International Airport at about 8:50 p.m. The evacuation, approved by President Bola Tinubu, follows renewed xenophobic attacks against foreigners in South Africa and succeeds an earlier flight that returned 258 Nigerians on June 11.

The flight was arranged by ValueJet, whose chairman Kunle Soname facilitated the charter, and was accompanied by officials of the Nigerian High Commission in South Africa. NiDCOM head Dipo Onabowale thanked President Tinubu and noted that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, led by Bianca Odumegwu‑Ojukwu, is addressing logistical challenges from the first phase.

Support packages were announced for the returnees: Imo State governor Hope Uzodimma will give N1 million to each indigenes among the evacuees; MTN Nigeria provided free SIM cards, N50,000 worth of data and deposited N100,000 into each person's bank account; and Pastor Bolaji Idowu contributed an additional N100,000 per evacuee. Security and immigration agencies, including NEMA, the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, the Nigeria Immigration Service and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, were present to receive and register the passengers.