FG Airlifts 39 More Nigerians From South Africa Amid Xenophobic Attacks

The Federal Government has evacuated 39 more Nigerians from South Africa on an emergency Air Peace flight, as the wave of xenophobic attacks targeting foreign nationals in the country continues.

The latest airlift adds to a growing evacuation effort that has seen hundreds of Nigerians repatriated in recent weeks, including a batch of 271 citizens moved in early July and more than 700 others evacuated in late June, as violence against migrants intensified across several South African provinces.

Nigerian officials said the government continues to coordinate closely with the Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria to identify and process citizens seeking to return home, while the Senate has separately urged the Federal Government to pursue fresh diplomatic guarantees for Nigerians who choose to remain in South Africa.

The renewed attacks have strained relations between Abuja and Pretoria, with Nigerian lawmakers pushing for retaliatory measures should the South African government fail to rein in the violence. The National Assembly has held multiple briefings on the crisis in recent weeks.

Community leaders among the Nigerian diaspora in South Africa say the attacks have left many families afraid to leave their homes, with small business owners reporting looting and destruction of shops and trading stalls.

The Federal Government has not disclosed how many more Nigerians are expected to be evacuated in the coming weeks, but officials say the airlifts will continue as long as the security situation remains volatile.