Federal Government has assured Nigerians residing in South Africa that all citizens who have indicated a willingness to return home amid ongoing anti-migrant attacks will be evacuated before the June 30 deadline.
Gatekeepers News reports that the assurance was conveyed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, in a statement issued on Thursday by her Special Assistant on Communication and New Media, Magnus Eze.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu reaffirmed the commitment of President Bola Tinubu’s administration to the safety and welfare of Nigerians abroad, stressing that no citizen who has registered for voluntary evacuation would be left behind.
According to the minister, the evacuation exercise is already in progress. She noted that the first batch of 258 Nigerians was airlifted from South Africa and received at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, on June 11 by the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye.
She disclosed that approximately 1,000 Nigerians had registered for evacuation and that arrangements were being finalized to bring back the remaining citizens before the deadline.
This means that more than 742 Nigerians are expected to return to Nigeria in subsequent batches.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu said President Tinubu had directed that Nigerians facing danger, intimidation and harassment in South Africa who voluntarily wish to return home should be assisted without delay.
The minister expressed concern over reports of discrimination and attacks targeting Nigerians and other African migrants. She said Nigeria was engaging South African authorities through diplomatic channels while exploring lawful measures to address the situation.
“When it comes to situations like this, of course, it is necessary to be temperate and exercise caution. But when your citizens are being harassed… then it becomes a serious concern,” she said.
She noted that some of the affected Nigerians are married to South Africans and have children who were born and raised in the country.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu also criticized what she described as the unequal treatment of Nigerians, pointing out that South African companies such as MTN, MultiChoice, Stanbic and Protea Hotels continue to operate successfully in Nigeria.
The minister further argued that the activities of anti-migrant vigilante groups were damaging South Africa’s international reputation and weakening its image as a post-apartheid symbol of pan-African solidarity.
She revealed that South African authorities had declined to activate an Early Warning Mechanism Memorandum of Understanding signed with Nigeria in October 2025, which was designed to protect citizens during periods of heightened tension, citing procedural concerns.
According to her, several African countries, including Ghana, Malawi, Zimbabwe and Mozambique, have also begun evacuating their nationals from South Africa due to growing security concerns.
Earlier this month, at least 270 Nigerians arrived in Lagos as the first batch of returnees following the recent wave of xenophobic attacks in South Africa.
