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Xenophobia: 83 Nigerians Return From South Africa

Published August 20, 2026 at 1:16 PM

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Key Takeaways

Eighty-three Nigerians returned from South Africa to Nigeria over safety fears and reports of xenophobic hostility, arriving Lagos late Wednesday from Johannesburg on South African Airways.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson, Kimiebi Ebienfa, said private individuals paid for the returnees’ flight tickets, enabling the repatriation exercise and safe evacuation.
Ambassador Haruna Ali-Gombe received the returnees at Murtala Muhammed International Airport before officials moved them to government agencies for documentation, profiling and reintegration support.

Eighty-three Nigerians have been brought back from South Africa following renewed concerns over the safety of African migrants and reports of xenophobic hostility in the country.

Naija News reports that the Nigerians arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos late Wednesday on a South African Airways flight from Johannesburg.

They were accompanied by two officials from the Nigerian Consulate-General in Johannesburg throughout the journey.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed the development in a statement issued by its spokesperson, Kimiebi Ebienfa, on Wednesday night.

Ebienfa disclosed that private individuals stepped in to finance the latest repatriation by providing funds for the returnees’ air tickets.

He expressed the government’s appreciation to the sponsors, whose financial intervention made the evacuation possible.

Ebienfa said, “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.”

At the Lagos airport, the returnees were received by the Director of the African Affairs Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Haruna Ali-Gombe, who represented the Federal Government.

They were subsequently transferred to the appropriate government agencies for documentation and profiling.

The Foreign Affairs Ministry reaffirmed the Federal Government’s responsibility to protect Nigerians living in other countries and facilitate the evacuation of citizens caught up in emergencies overseas.

Ebienfa commended the Nigerian diplomatic mission in South Africa, the private sponsors and the government agencies that participated in the evacuation and reception of the returnees.

The ministry said the cooperation of the different stakeholders was crucial to ensuring that the Nigerians were safely received and given the necessary support as they begin their reintegration into their communities.