Reported by Ariajegbe Sylvia Esezobor
The Federal Government has evacuated another batch of 111 distressed Nigerians from South Africa amid renewed concerns over xenophobic and Afrophobic attacks in the country, bringing the total number of citizens repatriated since the exercise began in June to 2,037.
The returnees, comprising 44 men, 23 women and 44 children, arrived in Lagos aboard South African Airways Flight SA060 on Thursday, October 8, 2026. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs disclosed this in a statement signed by its spokesperson, Oluwafemi Adeniyi, on Sunday. The ministry said 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 Government agencies.
According to the statement, the evacuation was fully funded by the $265,854 donation made by the Redeemed Christian Church of God to support the evacuation of 500 distressed Nigerians from South Africa. The church's intervention, approved by its General Overseer, Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye, has become a central pillar of the repatriation effort, complementing the Federal Government's own funding for the exercise. "The arrival of the returnees brings the total number of consular evacuations conducted from South Africa to fifteen since the commencement of the ongoing evacuation exercise on 10th June, 2026," the statement said.
The figures released by the ministry provide a clear breakdown of the evacuation effort so far. Of the 2,037 Nigerians evacuated, 1,388 had their repatriation costs fully covered by the Federal Government. The RCCG-funded evacuation has now covered one-way tickets for 318 Nigerians, leaving 182 more to be brought home under the church's commitment to fund 500 tickets. The ministry said, "With the successful evacuation of this RCCG-funded batch, a total of 318 Nigerian nationals have had their one-way tickets funded by the Church. Therefore, 182 more nationals are expected to be repatriated under RCCG's commitment to fund 500 one-way tickets."
The Federal Government expressed profound appreciation to the RCCG under the leadership of Pastor Adeboye for what it described as generous financial support towards the evacuation of distressed Nigerians. "The Federal Government, once again, expresses its profound appreciation to the RCCG, under the leadership of Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye, for its generous financial support towards the evacuation of distressed Nigerians from South Africa," the statement read.
The evacuation exercise began on June 10, 2026, following a wave of xenophobic violence that targeted foreign nationals, particularly Nigerians, Ghanaians and Zimbabweans. The first flight, operated by Air Peace, brought back 258 returnees. Subsequent flights followed in rapid succession as the Federal Government intensified efforts to bring citizens home. By mid-July, 1,490 Nigerians had been evacuated. The numbers continued to climb through August and September, with the RCCG-funded flights adding to the momentum. The September 26 flight brought back 100 Nigerians funded by the RCCG donation, and a subsequent flight on October 2 returned another 105.
The human stories behind the statistics reveal the scale of the ordeal endured by Nigerians in South Africa. Ijeoma, one of the returnees in the second RCCG-funded batch, recounted the fear that gripped the Nigerian community. "We couldn't even go out. We were afraid for our lives," she said. Her words captured the atmosphere of intimidation and violence that forced thousands of Nigerians to seek safety back home. The attacks, which resurfaced in April 2026, saw mobs target foreign nationals, looting shops, burning businesses and assaulting migrants. At least five Nigerians were killed in the violence, including Amaramiro Emmanuel and Ekpenyong Andrew, who were murdered in April allegedly by personnel of the South African National Defence Force in Port Elizabeth. The killings prompted Nigeria to summon South Africa's envoy and demand protection for its citizens.
The political context of the evacuation is significant. The 2027 general elections are less than four months away, with the presidential and National Assembly elections scheduled for January 16, and the governorship and state assembly elections for February 6. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is seeking a second term on the All Progressives Congress platform, while former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress, former Anambra Governor Peter Obi of the Nigeria Democratic Congress and Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde of the Allied Peoples Movement are among the major challengers. The government's handling of the evacuation exercise, and its broader response to the xenophobic crisis, will be part of the political conversation as the campaign intensifies.
The ministry reaffirmed the government's commitment to engaging relevant stakeholders, including South African authorities, to address xenophobia and Afrophobia and promote the welfare, safety and dignity of Nigerians residing in the country. "The Federal Government remains committed to engaging relevant stakeholders, including authorities of South Africa, to address Xenophobia and Afrophobia in the country, and promote the welfare, safety and dignity of Nigerians residing there," the statement added. The ministry also advised Nigerians in South Africa to comply with local laws, remain vigilant and prioritise their safety, and urged them to maintain contact with the Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria and the Consulate General in Johannesburg for consular assistance whenever necessary.
For the 111 returnees who landed in Lagos on Thursday, the evacuation represents both an end to a period of fear and uncertainty and the beginning of the difficult process of rebuilding their lives in Nigeria. For the Federal Government, it is a demonstration of its commitment to protecting its citizens abroad, albeit one that has been necessitated by the failure to secure their safety in South Africa. For the RCCG, it is a continuation of its humanitarian intervention, with 182 more Nigerians still to be brought home under its pledge. As the ministry put it, the Federal Government remains steadfast in its commitment to providing timely consular support to Nigerians in the diaspora and safeguarding their welfare and well-being.
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