258 Nigerians return from S’Africa, barred from re-entry for five years

258 Nigerians returned home yesterday from South Africa aboard an Air Peace charter flight, landing at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos. The returnees, including men, women, and children, were fleeing recent anti-foreigner violence in South Africa.

Nigerians in Diaspora Commission Director General Abike Dabiri-Erewa welcomed them. Each returnee will receive N100,000 from the Federal Government and N50,000 airtime from MTN. South Africa's Department of Home Affairs confirmed the first repatriation flight departed June 11, with a second scheduled for June 15. The department declared all returnees undesirable persons barred from re-entering South Africa for five years. South Africa's Minister of Home Affairs, Dr Leon Schreiber, said the government remains committed to enforcing immigration laws and strengthening border management. Nigerian officials noted many returnees were victims of permit delays.