By Kofoworola Fakeye, JKNewsMedia Reporter
THE FEDERAL Government (FG) has postponed the evacuation of Nigerian citizens seeking to return home from South Africa (SA) following a fresh wave of xenophobic violence targeting foreign nationals in parts of the country.
JKNewsMedia.com reports that the first batch of evacuees, initially scheduled to depart on Monday, will now be airlifted on Wednesday due to administrative and operational challenges, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA).
The ministry’s spokesperson, Kimiebi Ebienfa, confirmed the development in an official update, stating that the delay was caused by logistical issues encountered during preparations for the emergency evacuation exercise.
The evacuation plan was approved by President Bola Tinubu as part of efforts to ensure the safety of Nigerians affected by the rising anti-foreigner violence in South Africa.
Under the arrangement, five repatriation flights have been approved to transport Nigerians who have indicated a desire to return home.
The operation is being handled by Air Peace, which will deploy aircraft to bring the affected citizens back to Nigeria.
Officials said the first aircraft, expected to depart from Johannesburg on Wednesday evening, will carry about 270 Nigerians, subject to completion of diplomatic clearances and aviation landing approvals.
The post-ponement has also allowed authorities to expand the screening and documentation process for Nigerians seeking evacuation.
The registration and profiling exercise has been extended until Wednesday to accommodate more citizens.
Ebienfa said the Nigerian Mission in Pretoria had extended the screening period to enable more affected citizens to be processed.
“I received confirmation from our Mission in Pretoria that the screening exercise of Nigerian nationals who have indicated interest to be evacuated back home has been extended to Wednesday,” he said.
JKNewsMedia.com that he said more than 500 Nigerians have so far been screened and cleared for evacuation, with the number expected to rise as registration continues.
The FG said efforts are ongoing to ensure the safe return of Nigerians in SA, while diplomatic engagements with country’s authorities continue to address the situation and ensure the protection of citizens who remain in the country.
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