- Hon Abike Dabiri-Erewa, CEO of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission addressing the press on arrival of the returnees*
The Air Peace flight MEN2759 conveying 188 Nigerians from South Africa on Wednesday night arrived at the international wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos at 9:35 pm local time.
The aircraft departed the OR Tambo International Airport in South Africa, after an eight-hour delay.
The evacuation followed an order by President Muhammadu Buhari on September 9, 2019, to evacuate Nigerians who are willing to return home from South Africa, after several xenophobic attacks on foreign nationals, including Nigerians.
Buhari gave the order after he received the report of the special envoy sent to South Africa to convey a Special Message to President Cyril Ramaphosa over the recent xenophobic attacks in the country.
Some of those desirous of returning home were however turned back over inadequate documentation for travelling with children, about seven were detained for allegedly entering the country illegally.