Nigeria has brought home the first group of citizens evacuated from South Africa following a fresh wave of xenophobic attacks targeting black foreigners.

The 258 returnees arrived at Lagos’ Murtala Muhammed International Airport aboard an Air Peace flight and were received by government officials, including Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Sola Enikanolaiye.

Accompanied by representatives of Nigeria’s mission in South Africa led by Acting High Commissioner Temitope Ajayi, the evacuees were assured of the government’s commitment to their safety.

Speaking at the reception, Enikanolaiye said Nigeria would not stand by while its citizens face harassment, violence, or intimidation abroad, describing the evacuation as a swift response to protect Nigerians caught up in the unrest.

In a statement following their arrival, the Foreign Affairs Ministry’s spokesperson, Kimiebi Ebienfa, quoted Enikanolaiye as commending the excellent coordination of the process by the High Commission of Nigeria in Pretoria.

He urged Nigerians in South Africa to remain law-abiding and vigilant and report any threats to the Nigerian Mission. The minister said that the Federal Government remains fully engaged with the South African authorities at the highest levels to ensure the protection of Nigerian nationals and address the root causes of these incidents.

The minister conveyed the heartfelt greetings and assurances of President Bola Tinubu to the returning nationals.

“No Nigerian should live in fear simply because of their nationality. The evacuation does not signal defeat; it underscores the proactive and citizen-centred foreign policy of the Tinubu administration,” the statement read in part. “More flights carrying returnees are expected to arrive in the country in the coming days as the evacuation exercise continues.”

The returning nationals will undergo documentation, profiling, and necessary medical checks and will be provided with temporary accommodation before being reunited with their families, the ministry said.

Anti-foreigner violence has convulsed South Africa for weeks as gangs armed with sticks, whips, and shields have marched through parts of the “rainbow nation”, demanding that people with no residency papers leave by June 30.

Foreign nationals have reported being intimidated and beaten by mobs going door to door, families have been forced from their homes, and many have left in the face of the threats.

Ghana, Mozambique, and Malawi have already repatriated hundreds of their citizens in recent weeks.

South Africa is Africa’s largest economy and hosts more than three million foreigners, just over five per cent of its population, according to the country’s statistics agency.