from OKORO CHINEDU in Lagos, Nigeria
Nigeria Bureau
LAGOS, (CAJ News) – NIGERIA is preparing to receive more than 260 nationals evacuated from South Africa and over 100 prisoners from Ethiopia.
The 262 nationals and three officials evacuated from South Africa as a result of xenophobic violence against African migrants were due to touch down at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos late on Thursday.
The evacuation operation is being undertaken by Air Peace Airlines and funded by the Federal Government.
Sola Enikanolaiye, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, was expected to receive the returnees.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, is currently in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to finalise modalities for the transfer of more than 100 Nigerian prisoners she said were languishing in Kaliti and Aba Samuel prisons.
The inmates are to return home to Nigeria to serve the remainder of their sentences.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu said four prisoners had already died in the prisons as a result of health challenges and other factors.
“We cannot afford to lose any more,” she said.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu said it would be “a highly emotionally charged atmosphere as our traumatised citizens being evacuated from South Africa arrive in their home country.”
“They have been through a great ordeal, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs wishes to assure the public that the Federal Government, through relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies, has put in place the necessary reception and support arrangements for the returnees before they are reunited with their families.”
The minister also made an emotional appeal to the returnees: “Survival is the noblest form of vengeance.”
South Africa is currently tense as anti-migrant groups defy government orders to cease harassing foreign nationals.
Other vigilante groups have given foreign nationals a June 30 “deadline” to leave the country.
– CAJ News