…Returnees Arrive In Lagos, Government Pledges Support
BY OLAPEJU OLUBI
Air Peace, in partnership with the Federal Government, on Thursday evacuated 262 Nigerians from South Africa following renewed xenophobic attacks and rising security concerns affecting foreign nationals in parts of the country.
The special evacuation flight, operated with Air Peace’s Boeing 777 aircraft, departed Johannesburg’s O.R. Tambo International Airport and landed at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, at about 10:25 a.m., bringing home Nigerians who had opted to return amid growing tensions in South Africa.
The aircraft later taxied to the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) Cargo Terminal, where government officials and representatives of relevant agencies received the returnees.
Among those present were the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Sola Enikanolaiye, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, and Chief Commercial Officer of Air Peace, Nowel Ngala.
Speaking after receiving the evacuees, Enikanolaiye described the operation as evidence of the Federal Government’s commitment to protecting Nigerians wherever they reside.
He said the evacuation reflected the citizen-focused foreign policy of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and demonstrated the administration’s resolve to ensure that Nigerians are not left vulnerable during periods of crisis.
The minister commended Air Peace for responding swiftly to the government’s request and supporting efforts to bring affected Nigerians home safely.
Dabiri-Erewa also praised the Federal Government, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nigeria’s diplomatic mission in South Africa and Air Peace for their collaboration in executing the evacuation exercise.
According to her, the operation underscores the government’s commitment to the safety, welfare and dignity of Nigerians living abroad, assuring members of the diaspora that their concerns remain a priority.
On behalf of Air Peace, Ngala described the circumstances leading to the evacuation as unfortunate but reaffirmed the airline’s readiness to support humanitarian and national emergency operations whenever required.
He said the exercise was in line with the vision of Air Peace Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Allen Ifechukwu Onyema, whose commitment to national service and humanitarian interventions has guided the airline’s response to crises involving Nigerians both at home and abroad.
Ngala disclosed that discussions were ongoing regarding the possibility of additional evacuation flights should more Nigerians seek to return from South Africa.
He also commended President Tinubu and the Federal Government for coordinating the operation and ensuring the safe evacuation of the affected citizens.
For many of the returnees, the flight marked the end of a difficult chapter and the beginning of a fresh start back home after weeks of uncertainty and anxiety.
The latest operation adds to Air Peace’s growing record of humanitarian missions. The airline played a prominent role during the COVID-19 pandemic by repatriating stranded Nigerians from various countries.
It also conducted evacuation flights during the 2019 xenophobic attacks in South Africa, assisted Nigerians fleeing the Russia-Ukraine conflict in 2022, participated in the evacuation of citizens from Sudan during the 2023 crisis, and facilitated the return of trafficked Nigerian girls from Côte d’Ivoire in 2025.
The successful evacuation from South Africa highlights the growing collaboration between government institutions and the private sector in responding to emergencies affecting Nigerians abroad, while reinforcing assurances that citizens facing distress overseas will continue to receive support from home.
Olapeju is a journalist and aviation reporter.
