Anti-foreigner sentiment: Assessment of Nigerian nationals for emergency repatriation from South Africa concludes today – Federal Government

The Federal Government has announced that the screening process for Nigerians in South Africa who have registered for voluntary evacuation will come to a close today, following a recent surge in xenophobic attacks.

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This development was revealed by Kimiebi Ebienfa, Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who briefed journalists on the matter on Saturday.

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The screening exercise, which began on Thursday, is a collaborative effort between the Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria, South Africa's Department of International Relations and Cooperation, the South African Police, and immigration authorities.

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According to Ebienfa, the primary objective of the screening is to determine the exact number of Nigerians who will be cleared for evacuation.

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Once the screening process is complete, the government will finalize arrangements for the deployment of aircraft to bring the affected citizens back to Nigeria, Ebienfa added.

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The screening exercise is expected to provide a definitive figure of Nigerians cleared for evacuation by the end of the day, after which the government will proceed with making arrangements for their return.

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This move to evacuate Nigerians from South Africa follows the Federal Government's announcement last month, which was prompted by anti-immigrant protests in Pretoria and Johannesburg.

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The decision to provide safe passage for willing Nigerians was made in response to rising tensions targeting foreign nationals, which have made many Nigerians feel insecure.

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Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, had initially stated that 130 Nigerians registered for the evacuation programme, but noted that this figure was expected to increase as more citizens expressed interest in returning home.

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Recent reports indicate that the number of Nigerians seeking voluntary repatriation has now exceeded 1,000, marking a significant increase from the initial 130 recorded in May when the programme was first announced.