ABUJA, Nigeria — The Federal Government says the screening of Nigerians in South Africa who registered for voluntary evacuation following renewed xenophobic attacks will end today, paving the way for the final deployment of aircraft to bring cleared citizens home.
Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa, disclosed this to journalists on Saturday, saying the verification exercise began on Thursday and is being jointly conducted by the Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria, South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation, the South African Police Service and immigration authorities.
Ebienfa said the screening would establish the exact number of Nigerians eligible for evacuation under the government-assisted return programme.
“The screening exercise of Nigerians in South Africa that have registered to be evacuated will end today,” he said. “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 exercise follows the Federal Government’s earlier decision to evacuate Nigerians who no longer feel safe in South Africa amid renewed anti-immigrant protests and attacks on foreign nationals. Reuters reported that 1,094 Nigerians have now registered for voluntary repatriation, a sharp rise from the 130 initially recorded when the programme was announced in May.
Foreign Affairs Minister Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu had earlier said the evacuation was voluntary and aimed at providing safe passage for Nigerians affected by rising hostility. Nigeria also summoned South Africa’s top diplomat in Abuja last month to express concern over attacks on foreign nationals and demand stronger protection for Nigerians.
The latest tensions are linked to anti-immigrant protests in Pretoria, Johannesburg and other areas, where demonstrators have accused foreign nationals of worsening unemployment and crime. Migrant-rights groups have condemned the attacks as xenophobic and warned that foreign communities are being scapegoated for South Africa’s economic challenges.
South Africa’s unemployment rate remains among the highest in the world, a situation that has repeatedly fuelled hostility toward migrants. Previous outbreaks of anti-foreigner violence, including the deadly 2008 attacks, left dozens dead and forced many immigrants to flee.
Nigeria says it is working with South African authorities to ensure the screening and evacuation process is orderly and safe. Once the final list is confirmed, aircraft deployment and return logistics will be concluded.
For those awaiting evacuation, the exercise offers a route home after weeks of uncertainty. For both governments, it is another test of diplomatic coordination amid recurring xenophobic violence in South Africa.
