Over 700 Nigerians remain stranded in South Africa just days before the June 30 deadline set by anti-immigration groups, amid escalating xenophobic tensions.
Despite President Bola Tinubu’s approval of funds for four rescue flights, bureaucratic delays have prevented payment to the designated carrier, Air Peace.
The airline has refused to deploy its aircraft until funds are confirmed, leaving hundreds exposed to attacks.Officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission confirmed that while 1,000 Nigerians registered for evacuation, only 324 have returned home so far.
The first batch of 258 arrived in Lagos on June 11 aboard Air Peace, while a second group of 66 was flown in on June 24 through ValueJet after Air Peace declined to proceed without payment.
Rev. Frank Onyekwelu, President of the Nigerian Citizens Association in South Africa, revealed that over 20 Nigerians have died since the renewed wave of xenophobic violence, with many others assaulted, displaced, or forced to abandon their businesses.
The Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria has assured that evacuation flights will resume “any moment,” urging screened citizens to remain on standby. Meanwhile, the mission has appealed to South African authorities for protection of Nigerian nationals before and after the June 30 deadline.
As tensions mount, stranded Nigerians continue to face harassment, intimidation, and economic losses, with many forced indoors for fear of attacks.
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