…315 Nigerians Evacuated From South Africa
Fraudsters Exploit Xenophobia Victims With Fake Repatriation Scheme
Daud Olatunji
The Federal Government has raised the alarm over an emerging scam targeting vulnerable Nigerians stranded in South Africa, warning citizens against fraudsters demanding money under the guise of registering them for the country’s voluntary repatriation programme.
The warning came as the Federal Government concluded arrangements to evacuate another 315 Nigerians from South Africa under the fifth phase of its special emergency repatriation exercise, amid growing concerns that hundreds of distressed citizens remain trapped by lingering xenophobic tensions.
In a public notice issued on Tuesday, the Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria disclosed that criminal syndicates were circulating fake social media messages claiming that fresh registration was ongoing for the evacuation programme.
The mission stressed that the registration and screening exercise ended on June 13, 2026, warning Nigerians not to fall victim to fraudsters exploiting their desperation.
“Our attention has been drawn to misleading posts currently circulating on social media informing Nigerian nationals to come to the High Commission in Pretoria under the erroneous pretext that registration for voluntary repatriation is taking place,” the High Commission stated.
It added, “There is no registration taking place. No one should come to the Mission, and nobody should pay any money to anybody under the guise of being registered.”
The diplomatic mission emphasised that any future repatriation exercise would only be announced through official government channels.
The warning coincided with the departure of the fifth government-approved special evacuation flight, scheduled to airlift 315 Nigerians from Johannesburg’s OR Tambo International Airport to Lagos in the early hours of Wednesday.
A joint statement by the Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria and the Consulate General in Johannesburg said those selected for the evacuation had been contacted directly and instructed to report at the High Commission before proceeding to the airport in government-arranged buses.
According to the missions, the buses are compulsory because passengers would undergo final immigration and security processing in a restricted section of the airport reserved exclusively for the evacuation exercise.
“None are permitted to go independently, as they will not have access to the special area of the airport being used for the final processing exercise,” the statement noted.
The missions also directed returnees to present their screening clearance certificates and other verification documents, including consent forms for minors, while assuring them that Emergency Travel Certificates would be issued free of charge at the airport.
Each adult passenger is entitled to two checked bags weighing up to 23 kilograms each, one seven-kilogram carry-on bag and one personal item, while children are entitled to the same baggage allowance.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Union South Africa described the flight as the final government-approved special repatriation exercise, saying many Nigerians in distress would still be left behind.
The union’s National Publicity Secretary, Akindele Olunloyo, commended the Federal Government for organising the evacuation but expressed concern that the exercise would not accommodate all stranded Nigerians willing to return home.
“We sincerely thank the Nigerian government for not relenting in its duty to protect Nigerians in the diaspora. However, this final repatriation flight will not capture all stranded and imperilled Nigerians willing to leave South Africa voluntarily,” he said.
Olunloyo disclosed that many Nigerians remained exposed to danger due to persistent xenophobic hostility, alleging that several families, including those with young children, were sleeping outside the Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria in freezing winter conditions while awaiting assistance.
He appealed to the Federal Government, state governments and public-spirited Nigerians to provide urgent humanitarian support for those yet to be evacuated.
Although he acknowledged that the wave of violence had subsided compared to previous weeks, Olunloyo warned that the security situation remained fragile.
According to him, anti-black migrant groups were still carrying out house-to-house searches in some communities and forcibly removing black migrants, leaving many Nigerians living in fear.
He, however, noted that the Federal Government had assured Nigerians remaining in South Africa that it would sustain diplomatic engagement with the South African authorities to protect their welfare and security.
The Nigerian High Commission and the Consulate General urged Nigerians still residing in South Africa to remain calm, obey the country’s laws and avoid criminal activities while awaiting further government directives, assuring them of continued consular support throughout the repatriation exercise.
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