JOHANNESBURG, South Africa
The Nigerian Citizens Association South Africa (NICASA) has raised concerns over the plight of hundreds of Nigerians awaiting evacuation from South Africa following recent xenophobic attacks, saying many returnees are stranded due to delays in the Federal Government's repatriation programme.
According to NICASA, the Federal Government had announced on June 7 that five chartered evacuation flights operated by Air Peace would be deployed to bring affected Nigerians home. However, only one flight has been completed so far, transporting 258 returnees to Lagos last Thursday, despite reports that more than 1,000 Nigerians had registered for voluntary evacuation.
In a statement signed by NICASA National President, Frank Onyekwelu, the association said many Nigerians travelled from distant provinces across South Africa for registration and screening, only to find themselves stranded without adequate shelter, food, transportation, or financial support.
NICASA warned that the situation has become increasingly difficult, with some families, including women and children, reportedly sleeping in harsh conditions while awaiting information on their departure dates. The association noted that many evacuees had exhausted their resources after travelling long distances in anticipation of immediate repatriation.
The group appealed to the Federal Government, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and relevant committees of the National Assembly to urgently intervene and address what it described as a growing humanitarian crisis.
Among its demands, NICASA called for the immediate completion of the evacuation programme, the deployment of emergency assistance for stranded citizens, and the swift operation of the remaining four evacuation flights to ensure all registered Nigerians are returned home safely.
The association also urged the Nigerian High Commission in South Africa to improve communication with affected citizens, provide temporary welfare support, and engage community leaders to address urgent needs.
Reacting to the development, Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson, Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, said he had no immediate update on the repatriation exercise but promised to provide information when new developments emerge.
Meanwhile, Abdur-Rahman Balogun of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission assured affected citizens that all registered Nigerians would eventually be evacuated. He appealed for patience, stating that government agencies were working to ensure the smooth execution of the programme.
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