The Federal Government has announced that the verification process for Nigerians in South Africa who applied for voluntary evacuation amid renewed xenophobic tensions is expected to end today.
The spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa, disclosed this on Saturday, explaining that the screening exercise began on Thursday and involves collaboration between the Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria, South African authorities, immigration officials, and security agencies.
According to Ebienfa, the exercise is intended to establish the actual number of Nigerians eligible for evacuation after undergoing the required checks.
He noted that once the screening is concluded, the government will proceed with final arrangements, including the deployment of aircraft to transport the affected citizens back to Nigeria.
“The ongoing verification of Nigerians who registered for evacuation from South Africa will be concluded today. At the end of the process, we will know the exact number of individuals cleared for repatriation, after which the government will complete logistics for their return,” he said.
The planned evacuation follows growing concerns over anti-immigrant demonstrations in Pretoria and Johannesburg, which prompted the Nigerian government to offer assistance to citizens wishing to leave South Africa.
The initiative is designed to provide a safe return option for Nigerians who feel threatened by the recent wave of hostility directed at foreign nationals.
Meanwhile, Minister of Foreign Affairs, , had earlier revealed through a post on X that about 130 Nigerians initially indicated interest in the evacuation programme. She, however, noted that the number was expected to rise as more citizens continued to register.
Subsequent reports suggest that interest in the voluntary repatriation scheme has increased significantly, with the number of Nigerians seeking to return home reportedly surpassing 1,000, compared to the initial figure recorded when the programme was first announced in May.
