A fresh batch of 83 Nigerians repatriated from South Africa has arrived in Lagos.
The returnees arrived aboard a South African Airways flight from Johannesburg and landed at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport on Wednesday evening.
Kimiebi Ebienfa, spokesperson for the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said the returnees were accompanied by two officials from the Nigerian Consulate-General in Johannesburg.
“The Ministry wishes to reiterate the fact that the repatriation exercise of this batch of returnees was facilitated through the procurement of flight tickets by good-spirited private individuals, whose generous support enabled their safe return to Nigeria,” the statement reads.
The returnees were received in Lagos by Haruna Ali-Gombe, director of the African Affairs Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Ebienfa said Ali-Gombe welcomed the returnees on behalf of the federal government before handing them over to relevant government agencies for documentation and profiling ahead of their reunification with their families.
“The federal government remains committed to the welfare and safe return of all Nigerian citizens abroad and expresses profound appreciation to the Nigerian Mission in South Africa, the private individuals who sponsored the exercise, and all agencies involved in ensuring a smooth reception and reintegration process,” he added.
The latest repatriation brings the total number of Nigerians returned from South Africa to 1,573, following the earlier repatriation of 1,490 Nigerians in seven batches.
Following the latest exercise, the Nigerian High Commission in South Africa opened an online portal for citizens interested in participating in another repatriation exercise.
The federal government also urged corporate organisations, state governments and individuals to emulate the “worthy examples” of those who sponsored the latest repatriation.