The federal government is content to drag its feet on an agreed date for the evacuation of Nigerians willing to return from South Africa, while its peers act in the best interest of their citizens, despite mounting fears over renewed anti-foreigner protests and rising tension in parts of the country.
Officials at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said arrangements for voluntary repatriation were still being finalised, even as at least 130 Nigerians had already registered with the Nigerian mission in South Africa to return home.
Kimiebi Ebienfa, spokesperson for the ministry, confirmed that discussions were ongoing but declined to provide a timeline for the exercise, insisting no official date had been approved for the return of affected Nigerians.
A senior ministry official familiar with the discussions disclosed that the federal government was unlikely to fully sponsor the evacuation, citing financial constraints.
“You have to pay for your own flight ticket. That’s all. That’s what the government is saying,” the official told BusinessDay in a telephone interview.
