The Federal Government has postponed the evacuation of the first group of Nigerians seeking to return from South Africa amid renewed xenophobic attacks against foreign nationals.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs disclosed the development on Monday, citing logistical constraints as the reason for the delay.

According to the ministry’s spokesperson, Kimiebi Ebienfa, the evacuation flight, originally scheduled to depart Johannesburg on Monday, has been rescheduled for Wednesday to allow for the completion of operational preparations and the required regulatory approvals.

The postponement comes as the Nigerian government intensifies efforts to support citizens who have opted for voluntary repatriation following renewed xenophobic attacks and growing security concerns in South Africa.
Ebienfa said President Bola Tinubu had approved five evacuation flights to facilitate the return of affected Nigerians.

The operations are expected to be carried out by Air Peace, Nigeria’s largest privately owned airline.

“The proposed airlifting of the first batch of returnees from South Africa has been shifted to Wednesday due to unforeseen logistical considerations,” the statement noted.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also announced an extension of the screening exercise for Nigerians who have registered for evacuation. Initially scheduled to conclude earlier, the process will now remain open until Wednesday to allow more applicants to participate.

Ebienfa explained that Nigerian officials in Pretoria are continuing with the verification and documentation of registered citizens to ensure a smooth and well-coordinated evacuation process.

“I received confirmation from our Mission in Pretoria that the screening exercise of Nigerian nationals who have indicated interest in being evacuated back home has been extended to Wednesday,” he said.

He noted that the first evacuation flight is expected to airlift about 270 Nigerians from Johannesburg to Nigeria, subject to the completion of all necessary regulatory approvals and operational clearances.

Ebienfa further disclosed that more than 500 Nigerians have so far completed the screening process and been cleared for possible evacuation.

The Federal Government has continued to work closely with Nigerian diplomatic missions in South Africa to monitor the situation and provide support to citizens affected by the recent wave of xenophobic attacks.

It was earlier reported that the government had begun arrangements to repatriate more than 1,000 Nigerians from South Africa amid growing concerns over rising anti-immigrant sentiment and renewed attacks targeting foreign nationals.

The move was announced on Friday by Ebienfa, following the commencement of a screening exercise on Thursday for Nigerians who indicated interest in the voluntary repatriation programme.