The Federal Government has successfully evacuated another 282 stranded Nigerians from South Africa, bringing the total number of returnees to 1,134 under the ongoing voluntary repatriation programme approved by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The latest batch arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, at about 7:35 p.m. on Thursday aboard an Air Peace flight and was received by officials of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), alongside representatives of relevant government agencies.
With the latest evacuation, Air Peace has operated four humanitarian flights, transporting 258, 266, 262 and 282 returnees respectively, while ValueJet earlier airlifted 66 Nigerians free of charge in support of the exercise.
The returnees were accompanied by two officials of the Nigerian High Commission in South Africa.
Many of the evacuees expressed appreciation to President Tinubu for facilitating their safe return, as well as to the Acting Nigerian High Commissioner to South Africa, Ambassador Temitope Alexander-Ajayi, and the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NiDCOM, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, whose team received them at the airport.
Several organisations and state governments announced support packages for the returnees. Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, approved a grant of ₦1 million each for returnees from the state.
MTN Nigeria distributed free SIM packs with data valued at ₦50,000 and also pledged ₦100,000 to be paid into the bank account of every returnee. Officials of Edo and Delta states also unveiled incentive packages for their indigenes.
Founder of Omega Power Ministries (OPM), Apostle Chibuzor Gift Chinyere, offered free accommodation in Port Harcourt for 52 returnees, alongside free education for their children up to university level and skills acquisition programmes for their families.
The JAAL Foundation pledged empowerment support for 50 female returnees, while Cruxstone, a real estate company, provided cash assistance to the first batch of evacuees. Pastor Bolaji Idowu of Harvesters Church also donated ₦100,000 each to the 66 Nigerians earlier evacuated by ValueJet.
Officials of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the Federal Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, the Nigeria Immigration Service, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and other security agencies were on ground to profile and receive the returnees.
The evacuees expressed gratitude for the warm reception and the financial and welfare support provided by the Federal Government, state governments, corporate organisations and individuals.
