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Xenophobia: FG conclude plans to evacuate 270 Nigerians from South Africa

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By Francesca Hangeior
 
The Federal Government has concluded arrangements to evacuate 270 Nigerians from South Africa as part of its ongoing repatriation exercise for citizens willing to return home.

The returnees are expected to arrive at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, in the early hours of Wednesday aboard an Air Peace aircraft deployed for the evacuation.

The latest evacuation follows the Federal Government’s continued efforts, through the Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria and other relevant agencies, to facilitate the voluntary return of Nigerians facing various challenges in South Africa.

Announcing the schedule for the operation in a statement by the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, on Monday, the FG disclosed that the aircraft would depart Lagos on Tuesday afternoon for Johannesburg, before returning with the evacuees overnight.

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The statement read, “In continuation of the ongoing evacuation of our nationals from South Africa, the Air Peace aircraft deployed for the process is expected to depart Lagos tomorrow, Tuesday 7 July, 2026, for Johannesburg, South Africa at 3.30 p.m.

“The aircraft will depart Johannesburg for Lagos with 270 returnees at 12.00 midnight, and the estimated time of arrival at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos is 5.00 a.m. on Wednesday, 8 July, 2026, all things being equal.”

It could be recalled that the Federal Government has, over the years, undertaken several evacuation exercises involving Nigerians stranded abroad due to security concerns, economic hardship, immigration issues and humanitarian emergencies.

Air Peace has also played a key role in previous government-assisted evacuation missions, including the repatriation of Nigerians from countries affected by conflicts and other crises.

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The latest exercise underscores the government’s commitment to ensuring the safe return of its citizens who have indicated a willingness to come back to Nigeria.

The Federal Government assured Nigerians still residing in South Africa of their safety, even as fresh concerns over xenophobic tensions and renewed anti-immigrant protests continue to trigger calls for stronger diplomatic action.

The assurance came after Nigerians reportedly stormed the country’s embassy in Pretoria as xenophobic tensions escalated, while another batch of 269 Nigerians evacuated from South Africa arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, on Tuesday aboard an Air Peace flight from Johannesburg at 10.48 am, marking the second government-coordinated evacuation exercise in recent weeks.

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Walking with Wike while on projects inspection, 3km covered on foot (Video)

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After Zaudna Road, in Dei-Dei area, officials proceeded to the ongoing construction of the road linking Jahi District to Gwarimpa and Karsana.

Na there the exercise start.
We ended up walking for almost 3km.

Watch:

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Atiku slams Obasanjo says, ‘Arewa made you president, you have no electoral value’

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African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has said former President Olusegun Obasanjo lacks the electoral influence to determine the outcome of the 2027 presidential election.

Atiku stated this while speaking with journalists on Wednesday, amid reports that Obasanjo had declined to endorse his presidential ambition.

Responding to the former president’s position, Atiku said he was not concerned about whether Obasanjo endorsed him, recalling the role he said the northern electorate played in Obasanjo’s emergence as president in 1999.

“In 1999, he could not even win his own state or the Southwest; it was Arewa that made him President. He possesses no electoral value,” Atiku said.

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Atiku and Obasanjo served as President and Vice President respectively between 1999 and 2007 but have had a strained political relationship since leaving office.

Atiku has previously said he opposed Obasanjo’s third-term bid because he believed it was necessary to defend Nigeria’s Constitution and democracy.

Speaking on the 2027 elections, the former vice president also highlighted his record of providing opportunities for young Nigerians during his tenure as Vice President.

He said some of those who benefited from such opportunities had gone on to become governors, ministers, directors and holders of other public offices.

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Atiku promised that, if elected president in 2027, he would continue to create opportunities for young Nigerians to serve and take up leadership positions.

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Rep OK Chinda: A Record Of Sterling Public Advocacy In Rivers State

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Rep Ogundu Kingsley Chinda’s public record reflects years of engagement with issues affecting Rivers State, particularly environmental degradation, community welfare and the interests of people across the state.

His advocacy on the Ogoni environmental crisis predates much of the recent public attention surrounding the Ogoni cleanup. As a member of the National Assembly, Chinda raised concerns over the implementation of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) recommendations and called for concrete measures to address the environmental damage suffered by Ogoni communities.

His involvement in environmental matters extends beyond legislative advocacy. His experience as a representative, environmentalist and former Commissioner for Environment has placed him at the intersection of environmental policy, governance and community concerns.

The broader question surrounding such a record is whether public office should be approached through ethnic or geographical calculations, or through a wider understanding of responsibility to the entire state.

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Chinda’s stated approach has been to frame environmental degradation, pollution, development and community welfare as Rivers State issues rather than problems belonging exclusively to one ethnic constituency.

From Ogoni to the wider Niger Delta, environmental challenges remain deeply connected to questions of governance, accountability, economic development and social justice. Addressing them requires not only political attention but also institutional capacity, technical understanding and sustained policy implementation.

Chinda’s legislative and executive experience therefore provides a basis for assessing his views on environmental governance and the wider development challenges confronting Rivers State.

Ultimately, the public record should remain the principal basis upon which citizens assess any public servant: what issues has he championed, what policies has he supported, what results can be demonstrated, and how consistently has he represented the interests of the people?

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Those questions – not ethnicity, geography or political sentiment – offer the clearest lens through which

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