Korede Abdullah 
LAGOS, Nigeria – The Federal Government has evacuated another 111 Nigerians from South Africa amid concerns over xenophobic and Afrophobic attacks, bringing the total number of citizens repatriated under the ongoing exercise to 2,037.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement on Sunday that the returnees arrived in Lagos on Thursday, 8 October 2026, aboard South African Airways Flight SA060.
The group comprised 44 men, 23 women and 44 children. Officials from the ministry, the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and other federal agencies received them on arrival.
According to the ministry’s spokesperson, Oluwafemi Adeniyi, the latest evacuation was funded through a $265,854 donation from the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG).
The donation was intended to support the repatriation of 500 distressed Nigerians from South Africa. “The evacuation of this latest batch was fully funded from the Two Hundred and Sixty-Five Thousand, Eight Hundred and Fifty-Four US Dollars ($265,854.00) donation made by the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) to support the evacuation of 500 distressed Nigerians from South Africa,” the statement said.
The ministry said the latest arrival brought the number of consular evacuations conducted since the exercise began on 10 June 2026 to 15. Of the 2,037 Nigerians evacuated so far, the Federal Government fully covered the repatriation costs of 1,388 people, while the RCCG funded one-way tickets for 318 citizens.
“The Federal Government remains committed to engaging relevant stakeholders, including authorities of South Africa, to address Xenophobia and Afrophobia in the country, and promote the welfare, safety and dignity of Nigerians residing there,” the statement said.
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Mirian Gom 
Oluwatobi Adu 