Nigeria has begun the process of evacuating its citizens from South Africa following a spate of xenophobic attacks that have left tens of lives of foreigners in S.A lost and property vandalized.
According to Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the first batch of 640 Nigerians was evacuated on Wednesday, September 11.
“640 Nigerians have been registered at the Nigerian mission in South Africa and the first batch will be evacuated today, Wednesday, 11th September 2019” reads a tweet on the Ministry’s twitter account.
“The Air Peace aircraft will depart Johannesburg at 9 am local time. Expected time of arrival in Lagos, Nigeria is 2 pm local time. They will be received, on arrival, by senior officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The estimated number of Nigerians for the first batch is 313.”
However, the ministry also said that the second batch would be expected in Nigeria on Thursday or Friday.
On September 5, Nigerian airline offered free flights home to its citizens who reside in South Africa, due to a spate of xenophobic attacks.
Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari expressed “deep concern” about the security of Nigerian citizens and their property in South Africa.
There have been escalated tension in all African Countries who have their citizens in South Africa since the unrest first sparked in the City of Johannesburg, in a building which caught fire and collapsed, killing at least three people.
It then spread to two eastern suburbs and to the capital Pretoria, where local media reported shops burning in the Marabastad, a central business area largely populated by economic migrants.
