The government of Nigeria has announced that it intends to begin a voluntary repatriation of its citizens residing in South Africa as violent attacks targeting foreign nationals intensify.
Nigeria’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Geoffrey Jideofor Kwusike Onyeama, announced on Wednesday that the exercise will commence tomorrow Friday.
The government asked citizens interested to go to the country’s embassy in Pretoria.
Posting on Twitter, the government said:
https://twitter.com/AbujaMFA/status/1169347488333144070
The government added that the Proprietor of Air Peace Airlines, Chief Allen Onyema, has volunteered to send an aircraft from Friday, 6th September 2019 to evacuate Nigerians who wish to return to Nigeria free of charge. The government added:
The general public is hereby advised to inform their relatives in South Africa to take advantage of this laudable gesture. Interested Nigerians are therefore advised to liaise with the High Commission of Nigeria in Pretoria and the Consulate General of Nigeria in Johannesburg for further necessary arrangement.Signed Ferdinand NwonyeSpokespersonMinistry of Foreign Affairs, AbujaWednesday, 4 September 2019.