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The Federal Government of Nigeria has evacuated the second batch of its citizens, numbering 66 people from South Africa over xenophobic attacks.

The evacuees landed at the Lagos international airport on Wednesday night as part of the Federal Government’s ongoing evacuation exercise approved by President Bola Tinubu, following the latest xenophobic violence in South Africa.

Recall that on June 11, the first batch of 258 evacuees arrived in the country aboard a chartered Air Peace flight.

Head of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, NiDCOM, in Lagos, Dipo Onabowale, said the latest evacuation was facilitated by Kunle Soname, chairman and chief executive officer of ValueJet, with officials of the Nigerian High Commission in South Africa accompanying the returnees.

Onabowale, who spoke on behalf of Abike Dabiri-Erewa, NiDCOM chairman, commended Tinubu for approving the evacuation.

“There are 66 people in the second batch. Logistical challenges encountered during the first evacuation exercise are being addressed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

“The Foreign Affairs Minister Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, has assured that all registered Nigerians in South Africa would be evacuated,” Onabowale said.

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The Ondo State Government has sanctioned a group of students involved in a viral “sign-out” video, ordering the withholding of their West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) results and placing their names in a newly established school misconduct register, popularly referred to as the “black book.”

The disciplinary action was announced by the Ondo State Ministry of Education, Science and Technology following an emergency meeting held at the ministry’s headquarters in Akure to address the incident, which sparked widespread reactions on social media.

According to a statement issued by the ministry, the affected students are from Oyemekun Grammar School, Aquinas Secondary School and CAC Grammar School. The viral video, recorded after the completion of the 2026 WASSCE, allegedly showed graduating students engaging in unruly behaviour, including tearing their school uniforms and chanting inappropriate slogans.

As part of the sanctions, the ministry said the official school testimonials and WASSCE results of the 17 identified students would be withheld indefinitely, while their names would be entered into the misconduct register of their respective schools.

The government also directed all school principals in the state to establish a “black book” for documenting cases of student misconduct. In addition, senior officers at the affected schools have been issued official queries for what the ministry described as inadequate supervision that allowed the celebrations to degenerate into disorder.

The ministry further ordered the immediate expulsion of any student featured in the video who is not in a terminal class.

Speaking after the disciplinary hearing, the Commissioner for Education, Prof. Igbekele Ajibefun, said the government supports the celebration of academic milestones but would not tolerate actions capable of tarnishing the image of the state’s education sector.

“The growing sign-out culture among secondary school students must be guided by decency. We will not fold our arms and watch the discipline we have painstakingly instilled in our schools be eroded for the sake of social media clout,” he said.

Ajibefun added that the government remained committed to protecting the integrity of the educational system and would not allow acts of indiscipline to disrupt learning in schools.

The Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Dr. Akindele Ige, urged school principals to promptly report signs of unrest to the Zonal Education Office and the ministry to prevent situations from escalating.

The ministry also disclosed that the affected students and their parents had been summoned to receive official letters detailing the sanctions imposed on them.

Officials said the measures were intended to serve as a deterrent to other students and reinforce discipline across secondary schools in Ondo State.

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Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has challenged candidates contesting in the 2027 general elections on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to be prepared to struggle for power.

Wike, a national leader of the PDP, stated this during the party’s 109th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting on Wednesday in Abuja.

“Nobody gives power. Nobody has done it. Power is taken; if you did not do so, it’s your business.

“You must fight for it to take it. Nobody gives power, and nobody is ready to dash you power. You have to struggle for it. You have to fight for it. You don’t have to be afraid.

“Every time you complain, oh, the governor is this, what do you want him to do? To allow you to come and take power like that?

“If you’re not serious, say you are not serious to struggle for power. When you take it, you appreciate it, not when they dash you and you don’t know the meaning of it,” Wike said.

He recalled his political journey through various struggles, including how he became governor when the incumbent belonged to a different political party.

Wike advised candidates, especially those running for governorship, to brace up for  keen contests.

He said that in the present setting, most people were used to ‘food is ready’ politics.

“You are used to people preparing something for you to come and eat, and you think it will always be like that. It cannot always be like that.

“A time will come when there will be challenges in life and when you will be tempted in life,” he said.

Wike said that he happened to come from a background where he never got anything on a platter of gold, recalling that when he contested for a local government chairmanship position, the matter went all the way to the Supreme Court.

“When I don’t see challenges, I know that something is wrong, but when I see challenges, I know success has come,” he said.

He noted that when the PDP was in power, many of its members were like spoiled children depending on their father for daily provisions, reminding them that the party was no longer at the centre.

He urged them to see themselves as children whose father is sick, and remain determined not to disappoint him.

The minister also advised party members to stop introducing religion into politics and electoral matters, challenging them instead to return to their bases and work for the party’s success.

“Why do you bring your faith to this race? Everybody go home, go and bring something, and put it on the table in 2027. Go and bring something.

“I will bring something to the table here. Every NEC member has to bring something. If you bring a House of Representatives seat, you have done something.

“If you bring a House of Assembly member, you have done something. But don’t come here empty-handed; this is not a place for empty hands.

“This is a place where when you come, we look at the results of what you brought. That is what politics is all about,” he said.

Wike advised party members not to be distracted by claims from the Tanimu Turaki-led PDP faction that it would sponsor candidates for all elective positions in 2027.

He explained that the access code to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) candidate nomination portal would ultimately determine legitimacy.

“As far as I am concerned, June 26 is when INEC will give access codes to political parties to upload results. Don’t worry, we are good to go. Nobody is afraid; we will see who INEC will give the code to.

“It is not about going to collect money from people and saying we are in court. Nobody is afraid of the court; courts are meant for human beings, not ghosts.

“So, we are here, we are not afraid. Let them continue going to court while we continue to prepare for our own election.

“Don’t worry, stop thinking about what will happen; the worst has happened,” he said, adding that anyone who is not serious in the business of politics should leave.

The minister also challenged party members and leaders not to be afraid of intimidation, harassment, or arrest.

“Use me as an example. There is nothing I have not seen. I’ve seen everything, including intimidation,” he said.