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By Gloria Ikibah

Following recent xenophobic protests, the Federal Government has evacuated 593 Nigerians from South Africa, with three additional evacuation flights scheduled to bring home hundreds more citizens who have indicated their willingness to return.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement signed by the Spokesperson, Kimiebi Ebienfa on Thursday, disclosed this, saying that the evacuation exercise underscores the government’s commitment to protecting Nigerians abroad during times of crisis.

According to the Ebienfa, the first batch of 258 evacuees arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport on 11 June aboard a special Air Peace flight and was received by the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Sola Enikanolaiye, on behalf of the Federal Government before being handed over to relevant agencies for documentation and profiling.

He explained that logistical challenges delayed the second evacuation flight, resulting in some Nigerians being temporarily accommodated at the Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria.

The Spokesperson added that a Nigerian philanthropist voluntarily paid for the tickets of 66 stranded citizens, who subsequently returned to Lagos on 24 June aboard South African Airways.

A further 269 Nigerians arrived on a second government-coordinated evacuation flight on 30 June, bringing the total number of returnees to 593.

The ministry said the evacuation exercise was still ongoing.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs wishes to assure Nigerians that three additional flights will be operated in the next few days to ensure that all Nigerians who voluntarily registered to be evacuated and have been duly screened and cleared are brought back safely to the country. The expected number in that regard is 700 Nigerians”, the statement read.

According to the statement, the next evacuation flight will arrive on Friday, 3 July, carrying 271 returnees, with touchdown expected at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport at 5.30am.

The ministry also dismissed reports alleging that officials at the Nigerian mission in South Africa demanded money from stranded citizens before registering them for evacuation, and described the allegations as unfounded.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs wishes to place on record that all the special evacuation flights are fully paid for by the Federal Government and at no cost to the returnees.

“This clarification is necessitated by insinuations and false allegations that some staff of the Nigerian Mission were requesting money before enlisting our nationals for the evacuation flights. That is totally false, fake news, and should be discarded”, it stated

The ministry commended the collaboration among relevant ministries, departments and agencies involved in the operation, describing the exercise as a demonstration of the government’s commitment to safeguarding the welfare of Nigerians overseas.

“The evacuation process clearly underscores the priority accorded to the protection of Nigerian citizens overseas, which remains a central pillar of Nigeria’s foreign policy and a core responsibility of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

“It also reflects the Government’s determination to ensure that Nigerians affected by crises abroad receive the necessary support, dignity, and care. The lives of Nigerians living abroad matters and we are trying our best as a Ministry to give them a sense of belonging”, it added. 

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By Gloria Ikibah

Nigeria has reaffirmed its commitment to humanitarian diplomacy and closer collaboration with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) following a high-level meeting between the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, and the federation’s new Head of Delegation, Ghulam Muhammed Awan.

The meeting, held in Abuja on Wednesday, came as Dr Awan formally presented his Letter of Commission and provided both sides with an opportunity to reaffirm their long-standing partnership in humanitarian assistance, disaster response, community resilience and the protection of vulnerable people.

Welcoming the IFRC official, Odumegwu-Ojukwu congratulated him on his appointment and expressed confidence that his tenure would strengthen the federation’s engagement with Nigeria and the wider West African region.

“I am confident that your tenure will further strengthen the Federation’s engagement with Nigeria and the wider West African region. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will continue to support the important humanitarian mandate of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies,” the minister said.

She praised the work of the Nigerian Red Cross Society and the global Red Cross Movement, describing their contributions during disasters, armed conflicts, disease outbreaks and other emergencies as invaluable.

“The Red Cross has, over generations, earned global respect through its commitment to humanity, neutrality, impartiality and voluntary service,” she said.

Reflecting on her personal experiences, the minister recalled the organisation’s long-standing presence in Nigerian communities, saying its humanitarian activities had inspired generations of young people to support the less privileged.

Odumegwu-Ojukwu also paid tribute to Red Cross volunteers working in difficult environments across the country, noting that they often risk their lives to provide assistance without discrimination.

“The enduring legacy of the organisation continues to foster compassion, volunteerism and community service across generations.

“The neutrality of the Red Cross remains one of its greatest strengths, enabling it to assist solely based on need, irrespective of political, ethnic or religious considerations. It is also encouraging that humanitarian workers and volunteers in Nigeria continue to enjoy the confidence and cooperation of local communities, thereby facilitating the effective delivery of humanitarian assistance across the country,” she said.

In response, Dr Awan thanked the minister for the warm reception and reaffirmed the federation’s commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s humanitarian response systems.

He stressed that the IFRC’s operations are guided by internationally recognised humanitarian principles.

“The Federation continues to strengthen community-based approaches to disaster preparedness and emergency response through its extensive network of volunteers operating at national, state and community levels.

“Our effectiveness is built upon the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence, which enable our volunteers to assist all persons in need without discrimination,” Awan said.

The IFRC official described Nigeria as a strategic partner within the federation’s West and Central Africa operations and expressed optimism that cooperation with the Federal Government would continue to grow.

“We look forward to expanding collaboration in disaster risk reduction, climate resilience, public health, emergency preparedness and humanitarian capacity development,” he added.

Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening cooperation in humanitarian action, disaster preparedness, the protection of vulnerable communities and the promotion of sustainable resilience across Nigeria and the wider West African region.

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By Gloria Ikibah

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has convened an emergency stakeholders’ meeting to address a four-month dispute over a development project in Kuje, following allegations that a senior official demanded a N100 million bribe to facilitate approval.

The meeting follows claims made by the developer, Jacob & Co Hospitality, which alleged that the Deputy Director of South Development, Kalu Madubuike, demanded the payment in connection with the project.

In a statement issued on behalf of the company’s Director Kunle Diamond-Illori said the emergency session will bring together representatives of the developer, officials of the FCTA and other stakeholders in an effort to resolve the impasse.

According to the statement, Madubuike had admitted during an earlier meeting that he was acting on behalf of third-party interests.

“During a preliminary meeting, Kalu Madubuike admitted that he had been acting on behalf of third-party interests who asked him to represent their position before the FCTA,” the statement alleged.

The company described the emergency meeting as an important opportunity to restore confidence in the administration’s commitment to transparency and accountability.

“The meeting represents a major test of the government’s commitment to transparency and improving the ease of doing business. We hope it will mark a turning point in tackling corruption in Nigeria’s development sector,” the statement said.

The dispute centres on a development project in Kuje, Abuja, which the company said has been delayed for four months.

As of the time of filing this report, the allegations against Madubuike had not been independently verified, while the Federal Capital Territory Administration had not issued an official response to the bribery claims.

Efforts to obtain comments from the FCTA and the official named in the allegations were unsuccessful before publication. The report will be updated should either party respond.