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The Nigerian Government has confirmed that Nigerians set to be evacuated from South Africa will not bear the cost of their repatriation.
The spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa, disclosed this during a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday.
According to Ebienfa, the screening of Nigerians who registered for the voluntary evacuation programme is expected to conclude on Saturday.
“The process, which commenced on June 4, is a joint exercise involving the Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria, the South African Department of International Relations and Cooperation, as well as the South African Police and immigration authorities,” he said.
He explained that the screening exercise aims to determine the exact number of Nigerians eligible for evacuation.
“At the end of the screening, we will have a definite number of persons cleared for evacuation. Thereafter, we will finalise arrangements for the deployment of aircraft to bring them home,” Ebienfa stated.
The planned evacuation comes amid concerns over the safety of foreign nationals in South Africa following recent anti-immigrant protests in parts of the country. The Nigerian Government had earlier announced plans to assist Nigerians willing to return home under a voluntary evacuation programme.
Officials say the ongoing screening process will help ensure that only registered and verified individuals are included in the repatriation exercise. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has assured affected Nigerians that arrangements are being made to facilitate a smooth and safe return once the verification process is completed.
