The Federal Government has said Nigerians registered for voluntary evacuation from South Africa will not bear the cost of their repatriation, as authorities conclude the screening of more than 1,000 citizens seeking to return home.
The spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa, said the government would deploy aircraft to bring the evacuees back to Nigeria after the ongoing verification exercise is completed.
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Speaking in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Saturday, Mr Ebienfa said the screening process, which began on June 4, was expected to end on Saturday.
According to him, the exercise is being conducted jointly by the Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria, South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation, and South African police and immigration authorities.
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“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,” he said.
The update comes as the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) disclosed that more than 1,000 Nigerians in South Africa had already undergone screening under the voluntary repatriation programme being facilitated by the Federal Government.
NiDCOM Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, said the turnout for the exercise at the Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria had been impressive, with more Nigerians continuing to register.
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“The screening started early on Saturday, and Nigerians came out in large numbers to participate in the process,” she said in an interview in Abuja.
“In spite of the emotional atmosphere surrounding the prevailing tensions and uncertainty, the exercise has been smooth, peaceful, organised and highly professional under the supervision of Nigeria’s Acting High Commissioner, Amb. Olatunde Ajayi.”
Mrs Dabiri-Erewa said flights for the evacuation were expected to commence next week, once funds for the operation are approved.
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She added that five flights were expected to be deployed for the repatriation effort, with the first batch of evacuees scheduled to depart South Africa next week.
The repatriation programme follows growing concerns over the safety of foreign nationals in South Africa after recent anti-immigrant protests in parts of the country.
Nigerian authorities have described the evacuation as voluntary and say they are working closely with South African officials to ensure the process is orderly and transparent.
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