Xenophobia: FG evacuates 111 more Nigerians from South Africa

The Federal Government has evacuated 111 more Nigerians from South Africa due to ongoing concerns about xenophobic and Afrophobic attacks. This brings the total number of returnees to 2,037 so far.

Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Olufemi Adeniyi, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday.

He said that the returnees landed in Lagos on October 8 on South African Airways flight SA060. The group included 44 men, 23 women, and 44 children.

Officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), and other government agencies welcomed them on arrival.

A $265,854 donation from the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) made this latest evacuation possible and is helping 500 distressed Nigerians return from South Africa.

RCCG General Overseer, Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye, had earlier said the church will keep supporting the effort until all 500 Nigerians they committed to help have returned home.

“Batch three is home. 111 Nigerians have landed safely in Lagos, and the journey is far from over. With the support of RCCG, more of our people are on their way back, one batch at a time, until every one of the 500 is home,” Adeboye said.

With the latest arrival, RCCG has now funded one-way tickets for 318 Nigerians. There are still 182 tickets left under the church’s commitment.

So far, 2,037 Nigerians have been evacuated. According to the ministry, the Federal Government fully covered the repatriation costs for 1,388 of them. Since June 10, 2026, there have been 15 consular evacuations.

The ministry said the government will keep working with relevant groups, including South African authorities, to address xenophobia and Afrophobia and to support the safety and welfare of Nigerians living there.

The ministry also advised Nigerians in South Africa to follow local laws, stay alert, and keep in touch with Nigeria’s diplomatic missions in Pretoria and Johannesburg for help if needed.