XENOPHOBIA: Nigerian govt evacuates another batch of 111 citizens from S’Africa funded by RCCG

On October 8, 2026, Nigeria's government transported another 111 citizens from South Africa due to xenophobic and Afrophobic attacks that have claimed lives and disrupted businesses. The evacuees, including 44 men, 23 women, and 44 children, arrived in Lagos on South African Airways Flight SA060. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the evacuation in a statement shared on Sunday.

The South African donation of $265,854 covered the evacuation costs, as stated in the Ministry's press release. This evacuation brings the total consular evacuations from South Africa to 15 since the program began on June 10, 2026, with a cumulative total of 2,037 Nigerians evacuated, including 1,388 fully funded by the government.

The RCCG, led by General Overseer Pastor Enoch Adeboye, provided the necessary financial support for the evacuations. As of the latest batch, 318 Nigerian nationals have received one-way tickets funded by the church, leaving 182 more to be repatriated. The Federal Government expressed gratitude to the RCCG for its contributions and reaffirmed its commitment to working with South African authorities to tackle xenophobia and Afrophobia.

It urged Nigerians in South Africa to follow local laws, stay vigilant, and maintain contact with the Nigerian High Commission and Consulate General for assistance when needed.