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Lastest News Nigeria, Politics, Business, Sport, Interview
The Federal Government has announced that the screening process for Nigerians in South Africa who registered for voluntary evacuation will conclude today, marking a key step in efforts to bring affected citizens home following renewed xenophobic attacks.
The update was provided by Mr Kimiebi Ebienfa, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who explained that the exercise began on Thursday and involves several authorities. These include the Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria, South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation, the South African Police, and immigration officials.
According to Ebienfa, the screening exercise will establish the exact number of Nigerians eligible for the voluntary evacuation programme. Once the process is completed, the government will move ahead with plans to deploy aircraft for the return of affected citizens.
He said, “The screening exercise of Nigerians in South Africa that have registered to be evacuated will end today.
“At the end of the screening, we will have a definite figure that has been cleared for evacuation. Thereafter, government will finalise the details about deployment of aircraft to bring them home.”
The Nigeria evacuation initiative follows the government’s decision last month to assist willing citizens seeking to leave South Africa after anti-immigrant demonstrations in Pretoria and Johannesburg heightened concerns over safety.
The programme aims to provide a secure route home for Nigerians who no longer feel safe amid growing tensions directed at foreign nationals. Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, previously revealed through a post on X that 130 Nigerians initially signed up for the scheme, with expectations that more people would join.
Recent reports indicate that interest in the voluntary evacuation exercise has increased significantly. The number of Nigerians seeking repatriation has reportedly risen to more than 1,000, compared with the 130 applicants recorded when the programme was first announced in May.
