The fourth batch of Nigerians who opted to leave South Africa amid fears of xenophobic attacks has arrived in Nigeria as the Federal Government continues its evacuation exercise.
The Air Peace flight conveying 271 returnees landed at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport on Friday after departing Johannesburg late Thursday.
The evacuation followed an earlier announcement by the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs that another chartered flight had been arranged to facilitate the voluntary return of stranded Nigerians.
According to the ministry, the Air Peace-operated aircraft departed Johannesburg around midnight on Thursday and arrived in Lagos on Friday with the latest group of evacuees.
The latest operation brings the number of Nigerians evacuated from South Africa to hundreds since the Federal Government commenced the exercise in response to growing concerns over the safety of its citizens.
The first evacuation flight, which arrived on June 9, brought home 258 Nigerians, while the second batch comprised 66 returnees. A third flight subsequently evacuated 269 Nigerians from the country.
The ongoing evacuation programme followed heightened anxiety among Nigerians and other foreign nationals after anti-immigration protests were held across parts of South Africa on June 30, with demonstrators calling for the removal of undocumented migrants.
The Federal Government has maintained that it will continue to facilitate the voluntary return of Nigerians willing to leave South Africa while engaging the South African authorities to ensure the safety and protection of Nigerian citizens who choose to remain in the country.
