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The first batch of Nigerian migrants evacuated from South Africa following a wave of violent xenophobic attacks on Black migrants has arrived in Lagos, the country’s commercial capital.
The evacuees landed at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos at about 10 a.m. on Thursday.
Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs had said 262 passengers were expected to return to the country on a chartered flight scheduled to land around 11:00 a.m. (1200 GMT), out of about 1,000 Nigerians who have indicated interest in leaving South Africa.
Violent attacks on migrants in South Africa have intensified in recent weeks, with reports alleging the deaths of two Nigerians, claims which the South African government has denied.
Many Black migrants in the country have reported intimidation and attacks by mobs who target them in their homes, forcing some to flee for safety.
Other African countries, including Ghana, Mozambique, and Malawi, have also repatriated hundreds of their citizens in recent weeks.
South Africa, Africa’s most industrialised economy, hosts more than three million foreign nationals, representing just over five per cent of its population, according to official statistics.
The country, which has long been a destination for both legal and undocumented African workers, has experienced recurring waves of xenophobic violence since 2008, when dozens of migrants were killed and thousands displaced.
