Reported by Ariajegbe Sylvia Esezobor
Another batch of 105 Nigerians stranded in South Africa has returned home, with the Redeemed Christian Church of God funding the air transportation of 100 of the returnees through a $265,854 donation, as xenophobic and Afrophobic attacks against Nigerians and other Africans in South Africa persist. The returnees, comprising 82 adults and 23 children according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos aboard South African Airways Flight SA060 on Thursday, September 24, 2026, at about 8:30 p.m. Some reports put the composition of the group at 55 adults, 45 children and five infants, while others describe the group as 83 adults and 23 students, reflecting the challenge of reconciling figures across different official accounts. The Federal Government’s statement, issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson, Oluwafemi Adeniyi, put the figure at 82 adults and 23 children, which is the account treated as authoritative in this report.
The returnees were received by officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, the National Emergency Management Agency and other relevant federal agencies. The latest evacuation brings the total number of Nigerian nationals repatriated from South Africa since the exercise began on June 10, 2026, to 1,821, making it the 13th consular evacuation. Of that total, 1,388 were fully funded by the Federal Government, while the balance was supported by the RCCG and other private donors. The RCCG donation was used to purchase one-way tickets for 100 of the 105 returnees, while the remaining five were evacuated through a donation by a private Nigerian citizen whose identity has not been disclosed.
Pastor Belemina Obunge, Chairman of the RCCG Task Force for the Reception of Nigerian Returnees from South Africa and Special Assistant to the General Overseer on Special Duties, said the initiative was a humanitarian contribution to the Federal Government’s efforts to bring stranded Nigerians home. He disclosed that the General Overseer, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, approved the funding for the air transportation of the Nigerians on humanitarian grounds, and stressed that the beneficiaries were not selected based on their membership of the RCCG. “They are Muslims, Christians, all religions. And we are intentional in making sure that we have collaborated with the various government agencies,” Obunge said. The RCCG is funding the air transportation from Johannesburg to Lagos, while government agencies are responsible for receiving the returnees and coordinating their onward movement to their respective state capitals after profiling.
Pastor Adeboye welcomed the returnees in a post on X, writing, “Welcome home beloved 105 citizens of Nigeria who have just safely arrived from South Africa.” He added that the church would continue to pray for them while the government completes the processes required to reunite them with their families. “We are grateful to God for helping us make your safe return possible. We shall continue to pray for you as the Government continues with what remains to ensure you reunite with your families. God bless you all,” he said. The church had earlier pledged to sponsor the return of 500 Nigerians stranded in South Africa, meaning about 295 more returnees are expected to be brought back in subsequent batches, subject to the completion of profiling and documentation. The repatriation is continuing in batches because of the documentation and clearance processes in South Africa, and Obunge urged Nigerians still stranded in the country to approach the Nigerian diplomatic mission for assistance with their documentation.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Nigeria’s diplomatic mission was continuing engagements with the leadership of the RCCG in South Africa, as well as other philanthropic groups and individuals, to facilitate the evacuation of other distressed Nigerians. It said some Nigerians were currently undergoing preliminary clearance with the Consulate in Johannesburg and relevant South African authorities and would be evacuated once the process was finalised. The Federal Government expressed appreciation to the RCCG under Adeboye’s leadership for its donation and acknowledged other groups and individuals that had partnered with the government to assist Nigerians seeking to return home. It said the government remained deeply concerned about persistent xenophobic and Afrophobic attacks against Nigerians and other Africans in South Africa and remained committed to pursuing diplomatic efforts and other measures to secure the cooperation of South African authorities in addressing the attacks and ensuring the safety, security and dignity of Nigerians resident in the country.
The latest evacuation came two days after the September 30 deadline issued by anti-migrant groups in South Africa directing undocumented migrants to leave the country, a development that added urgency to the repatriation effort. The context of the evacuation is a sustained wave of xenophobic violence that began in April 2026. At least five Nigerians have been killed since the violence began, according to Premium Times. The victims identified included Amaramiro Emmanuel and Ekpenyong Andrew, who were murdered in April allegedly by personnel of the South African National Defence Force in Port Elizabeth, Emeka Iroegbu, and Musa Joe. The most recent incident reported was in July, when Chika Simon died during an encounter with the South African Police Service. The Nigerian consulate said he died under questionable circumstances. The killings have strained relations between Nigeria and South Africa and prompted the Federal Government to demand that South African authorities act to protect Nigerians and other foreigners. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has consistently urged Nigerians resident in South Africa to remain vigilant and law-abiding and to maintain contact with the Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria and the Consulate General in Johannesburg for consular assistance.
For the returnees, the arrival in Lagos marked the end of a period of uncertainty and fear. Some expressed joy and relief to be back on home soil, according to Channels Television. For the Federal Government, the evacuation represents both a humanitarian obligation fulfilled and a diplomatic challenge unresolved. The government has facilitated the return of 1,821 Nigerians since June, but the underlying conditions that forced them to flee, including the threat of xenophobic violence and the absence of adequate protection, remain. For the RCCG, the intervention reflects the church’s stated commitment to humanitarian service regardless of religious affiliation. Obunge’s emphasis on the inclusiveness of the beneficiaries, spanning Muslims, Christians and other faiths, underscores the church’s framing of the initiative as a national service rather than a sectarian project. As Adeboye put it, the returnees are beloved citizens of Nigeria, and their safe return is a cause for gratitude. The coming weeks will determine whether the remaining 295 Nigerians covered by the RCCG’s pledge are successfully evacuated and whether the broader crisis that drove them from South Africa is addressed.
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