A new wave of Nigerian nationals arrived at the Lagos international airport following agonizing delays in a government-led evacuation effort.
The repatriation follows weeks of simmering anti-immigrant protests and rising security anxieties targeting foreign nationals across South Africa.
Over 260 citizens previously landed on June 11 after registering to voluntarily flee the threat of localized violence.
A second flight originally scheduled for June 15 faced frustrating setbacks, leaving hundreds in a state of anxious limbo.
On Wednesday afternoon, the latest flight departed Johannesburg carrying more than 60 evacuees seeking sanctuary back home.
The plane touched down at Murtala Muhammed International Airport on Wednesday night, where officials received the weary travelers.
This vulnerable group of men, women, and children represents the human face of a complex, unfolding regional migration crisis.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Kimiebi Ebienfa confirmed that a limited number of citizens returned safely on Thursday.
Ebienfa stated that roughly 50 people arrived in this batch, while hundreds more still await their flights home.
Approximately 700 registered Nigerians remain stranded in South Africa, waiting for the next phase of the evacuation program.
