Minister of Foreign Affairs,
Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu
By Victory Oghene
Seven days after the Federal Government evacuated 268 Nigerians from South Africa over xenophobic attacks, the Federal Government through the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu has assured Nigerians living in South Africa that all citizens who have indicated willingness to return home amid ongoing anti-migrant attacks in the country will be evacuated before the June 30 deadline.
This was disclosed in a press statement issued on Thursday and signed by the Special Assistant on Communication and New Media to the Minister, Magnus Eze.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu said the Tinubu administration remains committed to the safety and welfare of Nigerians abroad.
She added that no citizen who has expressed interest in returning from South Africa will be left behind.
According to her, the evacuation exercise is already underway, with the first batch of 258 Nigerians already airlifted from South Africa and received at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, on June 11 by the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye.
She disclosed that about 1,000 Nigerians had registered for evacuation, noting that arrangements were being concluded to bring home the remaining citizens before the deadline.
This implies that over 742 Nigerians are expected to be evacuated in subsequent batches.
The minuster said President Bola Tinubu had directed that Nigerians exposed to danger and harassment in South Africa who voluntarily opted to return be assisted without delay.
She expressed concern over reports of discrimination and attacks against Nigerians and other African migrants, while noting that Nigeria was engaging South African authorities through diplomatic channels and exploring lawful options to address the situation.
“When it comes to situations like this, of course, it is necessary to be temperate and exercise caution. But when your citizens are being harassed… then it becomes a serious concern,” she said, noting that some affected Nigerians are married to South Africans with children born and raised there.
She also criticised what she described as the uneven treatment of Nigerians compared to South African businesses operating in Nigeria, citing major companies such as MTN, MultiChoice, Stanbic and Protea Hotels.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu further stated that the activities of anti-migrant vigilante groups have caused reputational damage to South Africa and undermined its global image as a post-apartheid symbol of pan-African unity.
She added that South African authorities had declined to activate a Memorandum of Understanding on an early warning mechanism signed with Nigeria in October 2025, which was intended to protect citizens during periods of tension, citing procedural issues.
She also noted that countries including Ghana, Malawi, Zimbabwe and Mozambique had begun evacuating their nationals from South Africa over rising security concerns.
