By Francesca Hangeior
The Federal Government will evacuate 271 Nigerians stranded in South Africa, today, The Nation learnt.
According to an update by the spokesperson Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, Air Peace aircraft will depart Nigeria today, Monday, 29th June 2026, at 3:00 pm for the evacuation. 
Ebienfa said the plane will depart South Africa at midnight to arrive on Tuesday morning.
The anti-immigration vigilante groups have set a June 30, 2026 deadline demanding undocumented foreign nationals, especially blacks, to leave South Africa.
The threat has sparked widespread fear of xenophobic unrest, leading several African nations to evacuate thousands of their citizens. Though South African authorities have heavily condemned the vigilante threats and deployed the police and military to tighten security nationwide.
Ebienfa in a terse statement said: “Nigeria will resume the evacuation of our Nationals from South Africa today.
“Air Peace aircraft will depart Nigeria today, Monday, 29th June 2026, at 3:00 pm, and is expected to arrive in South Africa at approximately 9:00 pm local time.
“The return flight is scheduled to depart South Africa at 12:00 midnight and is expected to arrive Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos on Tuesday morning. The expected number is 271.”
