Nigeria govment say di sixth and final evacuation flight from South Africa to Nigeria go come next week and na dat flight go end di repatriation programme.
Di fifth batch of Nigerians return from South Africa under di voluntary govment repatriation programme land for Nigeria on Thursday night. Dem land for di Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos wit 282 returnees on board.
Di flight bin originally dey scheduled to arrive on Wednesday e bin delay sake of say technical issues wey di aircraft bin get. Nigeria Ministry of Foreign Affairs for tok-tok pesin Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa tok for statement say “Evacuation flight from South Africa wey Air Peace dey operate arrive di Murtala Mohammed International Airport Lagos today (Thursday) wit 282 returnees. Total number of Nigerian nationals evacuated from South Africa, due to di ongoing xenophobic protests na 1,141 now”.
Na for early June di evacuation programme start afta anti-migrant protests for some parts of South Africa wey dey continue to raise concerns about di safety of foreign nationals. Many African kontris, including Malawi, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Mozambique and Ghana, bin also organised voluntary repatriation programmes for dia citizens wey bin ready to comot from South Africa.
Di protests don lead to diplomatic katakata between South Africa and some African govments. Allegations say foreign nationals na im be di target of di attacks dey continue to dominate conversations but South Africa president bin deny dis claim. Tori of pipo wey don kpai sake of di kasala dey too but South African authorities say dis claims no be true but pipo still dey call for independent investigation.
Meanwhile di protest for South Africa dey dem tok say go dey happun evri Thursday don enta anoda level. South African protesters don begin go door-to-door to force immigrants to comot from rom dia house, Reuters report. Tori be say na on Thursday wey some groups of anti-immigration South Africans bin seize foreigners from dia houses for Johannesburg on Thursday. Dem hand dis foreigners to police for di ogbonge protests wey don put fear for pipo body for communities and wan almost scata relationship wey kontris get wit South Africa.
Reuters report say for Alexandria township, Johannesburg one Reuters reporter bin see how protesters dey breakdown doors dey enta houses wey dem beliv say na wia undocumented immigrants dey hide. Dem bin escort di pipo enta police vans wia dem carry dem comot including one woman wey from Malawi and her small pikin. According to Reuters, anoda man wey dem catch give police dey stay for di kontri legally.
In di last few weeks anti-immigrant protesters dey march through di town, dem dey carry sticks and flags, wit plans to go search for undocumented immigrants. Di leader of di movement, former radio presenter Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma, bin tok say na evri Thursday di protests go dey happun now until dem meet dia demands.
March and March, wey be di group wey dey lead di protest bin accuse undocumented immigrants say na dem dey cause di economic problems for South Africa. Dem dey also demand tighter border controls, mass deportation, and for schools and health centres to serve South Africans first. South Africa President Cyril Ramaphosa bin don warn against dis fight against immigrants.
Another batch of 40 returnees has arrived at the Lagos Airport from South Africa, bringing the total number of returnees in the sixth batch to 1,174. The returnees came through Air Peace in four different flights of 258, 266, 262, and 282, Value Jet 66, and the sixth batch came in a chartered flight with 40 Nigerians, the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission said on Saturday.
The returnees, who arrived on Friday night, thanked President Bola Tinubu for approving their immediate evacuation as well as all the facilitators. Dem also appreciate di Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu; di Nigerian Acting Ambassador to South Africa, Temitope Alexander-Ajayi; and di Chairman/CEO of NiDCOM, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, whose staff bin dey on hand to receive dem and announce some financial support for dem.
NiDCOM say di returnees from Imo State, courtesy of Governor Hope Uzodimma, receive ₦1 million each while MTN donate a free SIM pack (with data) worth ₦50,000 and ₦100,000 to be paid to di bank account of all di returnees. “Similarly, Edo and Delta state officials announced incentives from their respective state governments to the returnees. Also, JAAL Foundation promised empowerment support for 50 female returnees. In the same vein, Chibuzor Chinwe, General Overseer of Omega Power Ministries Worldwide, was appreciated for his selfless gesture of providing free accommodation to approximately 52 Nigerian returnees as well as skills acquisition for families and free education for their children up to university level.”
Di returnees also thank Bolaji Idowu of Harvesters Church, wey give ₦100,000 each to 66 returnees. Dem equally thank Cruxstone (a real estate firm), wey give cash support to di first set of returnees. Government agencies, including NEMA, Refugees Commission, Nigerian Immigration Service, FAAN, National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) and security agencies bin dey on hand to document and receive di returnees.
