Xenophobia: FG urges citizens to use evacuation flights, demands justice for slain Nigerians

The federal government of Nigeria has disclosed that another batch of its citizens is expected to leave South Africa on Tuesday amid the renewed wave of xenophobic attacks.

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, made this disclosure in a statement posted on her official X handle on Monday morning.

“Another evacuation flight will leave for Johannesburg tomorrow, Tuesday, 7th July, to bring home our citizens,” she tweeted.

DAILY POST gathered that the evacuation is the latest in the repatriation exercise by Nigerian authorities as they seek the safety of their citizens in South Africa.

Recall that four batches of Nigerians have returned home since the evacuation began last month. The minister said the last flight for the evacuation is expected to arrive in South Africa on July 10th.

“Our Nationals are again advised to weigh the risks regarding whether to remain or return,” she said.

The minister asked Nigerians in South Africa who consider their lives at risk to take advantage of the FG-sponsored evacuation flights to be transported home.

“Following the earlier evacuations of our citizens in 3 separate operations, the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, extended the Evacuations beyond the June 30 deadline, with the fourth evacuation flight having arrived in Nigeria on 3rd July 2026. Our citizens are strongly advised to take advantage of this extension and utilise the full capacity of the aircraft,” she added.

She, however, condemned the killing of two Nigerians in South Africa, calling on authorities to urgently investigate the incidents and bring those responsible to justice.