The Federal Government has commenced arrangements to repatriate more than 1,000 Nigerians from South Africa under a voluntary evacuation programme, the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, NiDCOM, has said.
NiDCOM Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, said the screening of prospective returnees was being carried out jointly by the Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria and South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs.
According to Dabiri-Erewa, Saturday marked the third day of the screening exercise for Nigerians seeking to return home voluntarily.
She described the turnout at the High Commission as impressive, noting that the exercise commenced early and recorded significant participation by Nigerians.
Despite the tension and uncertainty surrounding recent developments in South Africa, she said the process had so far remained peaceful, orderly and professionally managed under the supervision of Nigeria’s Acting High Commissioner, Amb. Olatunde Ajayi.
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Dabiri-Erewa said more than 1,000 Nigerians had so far registered for the evacuation, with additional registrations still ongoing.
She added that, subject to final arrangements, evacuation flights were expected to begin next week through Air Peace, following President Bola Tinubu’s approval of funds for the operation.
According to her, five flights are expected to be deployed for the exercise, with the first batch of evacuees scheduled to depart South Africa next week.
Meanwhile, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr Kimiebi Ebienfa, said Nigerians being evacuated would not be required to bear the cost of their repatriation.
In a telephone interview with NAN on Saturday, Ebienfa said the Federal Government would provide aircraft to airlift the returnees to Nigeria.
He said the screening exercise, which began on June 4, was expected to conclude on Saturday.
Ebienfa explained that the process involved the Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria, the South African Department of International Relations and Cooperation, as well as South African police and immigration authorities.
He said the final number of evacuees would be determined after the screening, after which arrangements for the deployment of aircraft would be concluded.
The evacuation effort follows growing concerns over the safety of foreign nationals in South Africa amid recent anti-immigrant protests in parts of the country.
NAN
