Nigeria Evacuates Additional 266 Stranded Citizens from South Africa, Total Returnees Reach 852
- Jul 4
- 2 min read
Another group of 266 stranded Nigerians has arrived in Lagos from South Africa under the Federal Government's ongoing evacuation programme, bringing the total number of citizens repatriated through four separate operations to 852.
The latest batch landed at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport on Friday aboard an Air Peace flight and was received by officials of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) alongside other government agencies responsible for profiling and assisting the returnees.
Several support initiatives were announced to help the evacuees begin rebuilding their lives. The Imo State Government approved a ₦1 million grant for each indigene among the returnees, while MTN Nigeria provided free SIM cards with data packages valued at ₦50,000 and pledged an additional ₦100,000 to be paid into each returnee's bank account.
Officials from Edo and Delta states also unveiled assistance packages for their citizens, while the JAAL Foundation committed to empowering 100 female returnees as part of their reintegration into society.
Speaking on behalf of NiDCOM Chairman Abike Dabiri-Erewa, the commission urged more state governments and private organisations to support returning Nigerians. The commission also acknowledged previous contributions from partners, including ValueJet, which transported 66 evacuees free of charge during an earlier operation.
The returnees, who were accompanied by officials of the Nigerian High Commission in South Africa, expressed appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for approving the evacuation and thanked the Nigerian diplomatic mission and NiDCOM for facilitating their safe return.
Government agencies, including the National Emergency Management Agency, the Nigeria Immigration Service, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria and other stakeholders, coordinated the reception, documentation and immediate support provided to the evacuees as part of efforts to ensure their smooth reintegration into the country.
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