The decision of the Federal Government to evacuate willing Nigerians from South Africa has finally become a reality as the first 187 nationals have arrived Nigeria.
It is a low moment in the relationship between Nigeria and South Africa because the forced returned was occasioned by xenophobia attacks.
The 187 were supposed to have arrived in the afternoon but they eventually landed at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, Wednesday night.
Diaspora commission head, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, had complained that immigration officials in Johannesburg caused the delay when the started another round of documentation.
The evacuees, who departed OR Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg, around 4p.m aboard an Air Peace Boeing 777 aircraft, touched down at 9:34pm on Wednesday.
A foreign affairs ministry official, Mr. Kimiebi Ebenfa, who was on board the flight, confirmed their arrival.
he was quoted as saying, “We just landed safely despite the delays in South Africa.”
The Punch also reports that the returnees comprising men, women and children were the first batch of the 640 Nigerians who registered for evacuation following the xenophobic attacks in South Africa.
It added that about 313 were billed to leave on Wednesday, but most of them could not travel with the first flight due to lack of travel documents.
Providing an update on the evacuation operation earlier while in South Africa, Ebenfa said the passengers checked in for departure at 3:27 pm.
According to him, the flight, which was scheduled for 10a.m. was delayed by the slow check-in process and immigration clearance.
He said, “Flight was delayed due to the slow process of check-in and immigration clearance.
“There were also complaints of system failure.
“Out of the 313 confirmed for the first batch,only 84 were cleared so far,” he said at 9:35a.m. before the flight took off around 4p.m.
The South African High Commission in Abuja could not be reached for comment on reasons for the delay.
