The Federal Government of Nigeria has evacuated the second batch of its citizens, numbering 66 people from South Africa over xenophobic attacks.
The evacuees landed at the Lagos international airport on Wednesday night as part of the Federal Government’s ongoing evacuation exercise approved by President Bola Tinubu, following the latest xenophobic violence in South Africa.
On June 11, the first batch of 258 evacuees arrived in the country aboard a chartered Air Peace flight.
Head of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, NiDCOM, in Lagos, Dipo Onabowale, said the latest evacuation was facilitated by Kunle Soname, chairman and chief executive officer of ValueJet, with officials of the Nigerian High Commission in South Africa accompanying the returnees.
Onabowale, who spoke on behalf of Abike Dabiri-Erewa, NiDCOM chairman, commended Tinubu for approving the evacuation.
“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.
“The Foreign Affairs Minister Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, has assured that all registered Nigerians in South Africa would be evacuated,” Onabowale said.
