Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Federal Government has airlifted 39 more Nigerians from Johannesburg, South Africa, on an emergency Air Peace flight, as the total number of citizens repatriated since the evacuation exercise began on 11 June 2026 reached 1,151. The emergency flight was arranged to accommodate nationals who could not return on Thursday's fourth evacuation flight, according to a statement issued on Friday, 10 July 2026, by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu disclosed that the 39 Nigerians were on a flight back from Johannesburg to Lagos on emergency travel arrangements facilitated by Air Peace to accommodate those unable to return on the previous day's flight. She explained that the additional flight was arranged to avoid disrupting the pre-scheduled evacuation flights for nationals who completed their documentation on time. The minister confirmed that the flight was expected to arrive at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, on Friday at 8:50 p.m. She commended Air Peace for facilitating the additional operation and reaffirmed the Federal Government's commitment to the safety of Nigerians in South Africa.
The evacuation exercise was triggered by renewed xenophobic attacks and anti-migrant protests across South Africa, which have claimed the lives of several Nigerians, including Musa Yunana Joe and Charles Iroegbu. President Bola Tinubu had earlier approved an extension of the exercise beyond its initial 30 June deadline to accommodate more nationals seeking to return home. The fourth evacuation flight, which arrived on Thursday night, conveyed 282 Nigerians, comprising 272 adults and 12 infants, after an earlier aircraft was grounded when its windscreen reportedly shattered in Johannesburg, prompting Air Peace to deploy a replacement aircraft to complete that operation.
Air Peace has now safely repatriated 1,085 Nigerians across four humanitarian evacuation flights, having previously evacuated 262 Nigerians on 11 June, 271 on 30 June, 268 on 3 July, and 284 on 9 July. An additional 66 Nigerians were brought back by ValueJet Airlines on 24 June, bringing the total number of Nigerians repatriated since the latest xenophobic crisis started to 1,151. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has confirmed that the repatriation programme is nearing completion, with a fifth and final evacuation flight scheduled to arrive in Nigeria next week, marking the end of the government's airlift operation.
The evacuation comes amid growing concerns over the safety of Nigerians in South Africa after anti-immigrant protests intensified in several communities. Although South African rights groups had issued an unofficial 30 June deadline for undocumented migrants to leave the country, Nigeria's evacuation exercise has continued to assist citizens willing to return home. More than 1,000 Nigerians had earlier indicated their willingness to return home through the Federal Government's evacuation programme.
In a related development, the House of Representatives on Thursday called on the Federal Government to impose strong diplomatic measures against South Africa over renewed xenophobic attacks, extrajudicial killings, and the alleged systematic persecution of Nigerians and other African nationals. The resolution followed the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance sponsored by Yusuf Gagdi, who recalled Nigeria's leading role in the struggle against apartheid and declared that the treatment meted out to Nigerians in South Africa was both unfortunate and unacceptable. The House rejected calls by some lawmakers to immediately suspend diplomatic relations with South Africa, but urged the Federal Government to intensify diplomatic action to safeguard the lives and dignity of Nigerians abroad. The South African government has formally rejected Nigeria's demand for compensation for affected citizens, instead demanding that Abuja produce evidence of criminal operations allegedly run by Nigerians within South Africa. The Nigerian government has condemned the attacks and warned that "all options remain on the table" if the violence persists.
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