The Federal Government has evacuated a second batch of 66 Nigerians from South Africa following renewed xenophobic attacks targeting foreign nationals in the country.
The evacuees arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos on Wednesday night as part of the government’s ongoing evacuation programme approved by President Bola Tinubu.
The latest operation comes after the successful evacuation of 258 Nigerians in the first batch, which arrived in the country on June 11 aboard a chartered flight.
Speaking at the airport, the Head of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) office in Lagos, Dipo Onabowale, said the evacuation was facilitated by the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of ValueJet, Kunle Soname, with support from officials of the Nigerian High Commission in South Africa.
Onabowale disclosed that efforts were ongoing to address logistical challenges encountered during the initial evacuation exercise, assuring that all registered Nigerians willing to return home would be evacuated.
He added that the Federal Government remains committed to the safety and welfare of Nigerians abroad and will continue to monitor the situation in South Africa closely.
The evacuation exercise is part of measures aimed at protecting Nigerian citizens affected by the recent wave of xenophobic violence in South Africa.
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