Xenophobia: First Batch Of 320 Nigerians Set To Return From South Africa On Wednesday

The first batch of Nigerians is set to return home from South Africa following the xenophobic outrage in that country.
The Consul General of Nigeria in Johannesburg, Godwin Adama, has said that the first batch of the Nigerian returnees from South Africa would depart South Africa for Lagos on Wednesday.

Mr Adama told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in a telephone interview that the first batch of returnees, are expected to depart South Africa by 9:00 a.m Wednesday.
The consul general also disclosed that Air peace had indicated interest to evacuate over 600 Nigerians that were willing to return home following the latest xenophobic attacks in South Africa.

President Muhammadu Buhari had on Monday called for the immediate evacuation of Nigerians willing to return home from South Africa following the latest attacks on Nigerians and other African nationals.
Buhari gave the directive when he received a report of the special envoy to South Africa, the Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ahmed Abubakar.
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the chairman of Air Peace Mr Allen Onyema, had last week volunteered to send aircraft to evacuate Nigerians who wished to return home for free.

Mr Oyema advised the returnees against making payment to anyone for their flights to Lagos.
Onyema urged the returning Nigerians to be wary of unauthorised persons, reportedly collecting $1,000 from them, adding that none of them should pay for the flights.
He said, his airline is particularly concerned about the safety of Nigerians in South Africans following the attacks.

The Chairman, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, had also pledged the Federal Government’s support to any Nigerian that wanted to return home.
Mrs. Dabiri-Erewa said this after a closed-door meeting with the Senate Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations in Abuja.

She said that the returnees would be encouraged to enroll and participate in the various social intervention programmes of the government.