South Africa has begun repatriating 586 Nigerians, with the first batch touching down in Lagos on Thursday as concerns over xenophobic attacks continue to mount.
According to Punch, the initial flight brought hundreds of returnees back home after South African authorities processed them for repatriation. Officials said the exercise followed growing tensions and anti-immigration sentiment targeting foreign nationals in parts of the country.
The return comes amid a wider wave of departures, with more than 1,000 Nigerians reportedly registering for voluntary evacuation. Nigerian authorities have maintained that many of those returning were fleeing hostility and uncertainty linked to xenophobic attacks.
Government agencies received the returnees in Lagos, where documentation and support processes are expected to continue in the coming days.
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