The returnees arrived on Wednesday night aboard a South African Airways flight at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, a week after 83 Nigerians were also repatriated from the country.
Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, minister of foreign affairs, said the latest repatriation, like the previous exercise, was funded by private individuals.
She said the initiative was being carried out amid concerns over the safety and welfare of Nigerians in South Africa following reports of continued xenophobic incidents and protests by groups demanding the deportation of foreign nationals.
“This group is also facilitating this latest exercise amidst unrelenting concerns over the safety and welfare of our nationals in South Africa occasioned by reports of continuing xenophobic incidents and protests by groups calling for the deportation of foreign nationals,” Odumegwu-Ojukwu said.
According to the minister, the returnees comprise 30 adults, 34 children and one infant from Lagos, Enugu, Kogi, Ogun, Imo, Oyo, Delta, Edo, Anambra, Osun, Benue, Abia and Kwara states.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu appealed to state governments to support the federal government’s repatriation efforts by assisting returnees who had left behind their livelihoods and properties in South Africa.
“We continue to appeal to state governments to complement the federal government’s repatriation efforts by coming to the aid of their returnees, many of whom left South Africa, abandoning livelihoods and properties, and to assist towards alleviating the trauma their returning indigenes have endured by assisting them with relocation and resettlement.”
Kimiebi Ebienfa, spokesperson for the foreign ministry, said Ikem Ume-Ezeoke, coordinator of the exercise, and Charles Mba, a businessman, addressed the returnees upon their arrival.
Ebienfa said the two men also gave each returnee N50,000.
Ojo Triumph
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