By Mardiyyah Abubakar
The Federal Government will on Tuesday receive another batch of 271 Nigerians returning voluntarily from South Africa as efforts to safeguard citizens ahead of planned anti-immigrant protests continue.
The returnees are expected to arrive at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, aboard an Air Peace flight that departed Nigeria on Monday to evacuate registered Nigerians willing to return home.
The evacuation exercise is part of a voluntary repatriation programme approved by the Federal Government in response to growing security concerns ahead of anti-immigrant demonstrations scheduled to begin in South Africa on June 30.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the initiative is aimed at protecting Nigerians and providing assistance to those who have opted to return home.
Tuesday’s flight follows the successful evacuation of 262 Nigerians on June 11 and another 66 on June 25, bringing the total number of returnees to well over 300 before the latest batch.
The Federal Government reaffirmed its commitment to the safety and welfare of Nigerians abroad, noting that it will continue working with Air Peace and relevant agencies to ensure the safe and orderly return of all registered evacuees.
