Final Call: Nigerians in South Africa Have Until July 7 & 10 to Evacuate, Warns FG

By Omoyeni Ojeifo

With xenophobic attacks escalating, the Federal Government has opened a final evacuation window for Nigerians in South Africa.

Desperate to prevent citizens from becoming trapped, officials have scheduled the last emergency flights for July 7 and July 10.

The urgency of the evacuation exercise has been heightened following the killing of two Nigerians, Musa Yunana Joe and Charles Iroegbu, in the ongoing unrest and amid growing concerns over the safety of nationals in South Africa.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, disclosed this on her official X page on Monday obtained by Persecondnews.

“An evacuation flight will depart for Johannesburg on Tuesday, July 7, while another is expected to arrive in South Africa on July 10, marking the closing phase of the exercise,” she said.

The government said the situation remains unstable, warning that there are no clear signs of improvement as violence against foreign nationals continues in parts of the country.

“There are no signs that the situation is improving,” she said.

According to the minister, the Federal Government also expressed concern over recent killings of Nigerians in the ongoing unrest, saying the incidents further underscored the urgency of the evacuation exercise.

She said the Federal Government had extended the evacuation exercise beyond the June 30 deadline following earlier airlifts.

Following confirmation of the timetable, Odumegwu-Ojukwu also cautioned Nigerians who were yet to decide whether to leave South Africa to take advantage of the ongoing evacuation exercise, warning that those who ignore the opportunity may find it difficult to obtain assistance once the operation ends.

“For many still sitting on the fence, sending out distress calls after these evacuation exercises might have concluded, and when there was an opportunity to leave which they did not utilize, will not help matters.”

“They should do well to note that properties and investments lost can be replaced, but not lives lost,” she said.

Nigeria renewed its call on South African authorities to urgently investigate the attacks on foreign nationals and ensure those responsible are brought to justice.

“The Federal Government remains committed to the safety and welfare of Nigerians abroad,” she added.

Persecondnews recalls that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, through its spokesperson, Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, had disclosed that about 270 Nigerians are expected to return home on Wednesday aboard an Air Peace aircraft under the Federal Government’s ongoing voluntary evacuation programme from South Africa.