Nigeria brings home 105 citizens from South Africa amid attacks
Nigeria has evacuated 105 citizens from South Africa following reported xenophobic and Afrophobic attacks against Nigerians and other Africans, the Foreign Affairs Ministry said. The latest returnees bring the number evacuated since June to 1,821, with funding provided by the government, a church donation and a private citizen.
The Federal Government has evacuated a further 105 Nigerians from South Africa following reported xenophobic and Afrophobic attacks against Nigerians and other Africans, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. The returnees, comprising 82 adults and 23 children, arrived in Lagos on South African Airways flight SA060 at about 8:30 p.m. on Thursday.
Officials from the Foreign Affairs Ministry, the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons and the National Emergency Management Agency received them. The ministry said the latest flight was the 13th consular evacuation from South Africa since the exercise began on June 10, 2026. It brought the total number of Nigerians evacuated to 1,821, including 1,388 whose return was fully funded by the Federal Government.
The ministry said tickets for 100 of the latest returnees were paid for with part of a $265,854 donation from the Redeemed Christian Church of God. The donation is intended to support one-way travel for 500 distressed Nigerians. A private Nigerian citizen funded the remaining five returnees.
Nigeria’s diplomatic mission is continuing discussions with the RCCG leadership in South Africa and other philanthropic groups and individuals to assist additional distressed Nigerians. The ministry said some Nigerians were undergoing preliminary clearance with the Nigerian Consulate in Johannesburg and relevant South African authorities and would be evacuated once the process was completed. The government expressed concern about what it called persistent xenophobic and Afrophobic attacks.
It said it was pursuing diplomatic efforts to secure cooperation from South African authorities and improve the safety of Nigerians there. The ministry urged Nigerians in South Africa to remain vigilant and law-abiding and to stay in contact with Nigeria’s High Commission in Pretoria and Consulate General in Johannesburg for consular assistance.
This independently written report is based on information supplied by the named publisher. Vertrix News has not independently verified the source report.