Xenophobia: 111 more Nigerians return from S’Africa

The Federal Government of Nigeria has successfully evacuated an additional 111 Nigerian nationals from South Africa, due to increasing instances of xenophobic and Afrophobic attacks in the country. The evacuees, consisting of 44 men, 23 women, and 44 children, arrived in Lagos on Thursday, October 8, 2026, on a South African Airways Flight SA060.

This latest batch of returnees brings the total number of consular evacuations from South Africa to 15 since the inception of the program on June 10, 2026. So far, 2,037 Nigerian citizens have been evacuated from South Africa, with 1,388 of their repatriation costs fully funded by the Federal Government. The remaining 318 Nigerians were funded by the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), with 182 more individuals expected to be repatriated under the church's commitment to fund 500 one-way tickets.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in a statement signed by Oluwafemi Adeniyi, highlighted the support received from various government agencies for the successful evacuation. The government reiterated its commitment to addressing xenophobia and Afrophobia and urged Nigerian nationals in South Africa to comply with local laws, stay vigilant, and maintain contact with relevant Nigerian consular offices for assistance.