By Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, has commended the management of Air Peace Airlines for the successful evacuation of the first batch of Nigerians from Johannesburg, South Africa
He also promised that the second batch of the evacuation exercise would commence soonest after working out necessary modalities with the Nigerian Mission in South Africa.
The minsiter disclosed this in a statement issued Thursday by Mr. Kimiebi Ebienfa of the Crises Monitoring and Public Communications Division of the ministry.
Onyeama, who was represented by the Acting Director, Southern African Affairs Division, Mr. Chuks Chikezie Jonathan, revealed that the Aircraft conveying the Nigerians arrived Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos at 9.23pm on Wednesday.
The minister, while receiving 178 Nigerians that voluntarily decided to return to Nigeria following the incessant cases of xenophobic attacks on foreign nationals in South Africa including Nigerians also assured the federal government would continue to support and protect lives and property of Nigerians in diaspora.
He said, “The Minister of Foreign Affairs also promised that the second batch of the evacuation exercise will commence soonest after working out necessary modalities with the Nigerian Mission in South Africa.”
The minister however appealed to Nigerians in South Africa to remain calm and patient, stressing that the federal government is engaging all relevant stakeholders towards finding permanent measures to the unfortunate xenophobic attacks on Nigerians.
