Xenophobia: Nigeria Moves to evacuate citizens from South Africa

• Returnees no longer to pay for flight

BY BONNY AMADI

Nigeria has ignited the process to evacuate citizens from South Africa following heightened xenophobic attacks resulting to death of some of its citizens in the country.

As a result of the country to bring back its citizens trapped in South Africa, over 1,000 Nigerians in the country have been screened for evacuation and will no longer have to pay for their return flights to Nigeria, officials have said.

These follow the xenophobic attacks in South Africa targeting citizens of African countries, including Nigerians.

The Nigerian government had earlier said at least 300 Nigerians had indicated interest in returning home from South Africa.

The government said at the time that the return- ees would pay for their own flights. However, on Saturday, a foreign ministry spokesperson said the returnees would no longer have to pay for their flights.

Kimiebi Ebienfa, spokes- person for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was reported to have said in a telephone inter- view that the returnees would not make any payment and the ministry would deploy aircraft to bring them home.

According to him, the screening of Nigerians in South Africa who registered for evacuation will end on Saturday.

“The process, which commenced on June 4, is a joint exercise involving the Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria, the South African Department of International Relations and Cooperation, as well as the South African Police and immigration authorities,” Mr Ebienfa was reported to have said.

“At the end of the screening, we will have a definite number of persons cleared for evacuation.

“Thereafter, we will finalise arrangements for the deployment of aircraft to bring them home,” he said.

In a separate interview, the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, said on Saturday that over 1,000 Nigerians in South Africa have undergone screening for the voluntary repatriation.

Mrs Dabiri-Erewa said the screening was being conducted jointly by the Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria and South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs.

According to her, Saturday marked the third day of the exercise for Nigerians intending to voluntarily return home from South Africa.

“The turnout at the High Commission of Nigeria in Pretoria has been truly impressive.