Despite President Bola Tinubu approving funds for emergency evacuation operations two weeks ago, bureaucratic bottlenecks within the administrative system have delayed the release of the money to the designated carrier, Air Peace, leaving hundreds exposed to heightened xenophobic tensions.
More than 700 Nigerians remain stranded in South Africa with only three days left before the June 30 deadline imposed by local anti-immigration groups.
Despite President Bola Tinubu approving funds for emergency evacuation operations two weeks ago, bureaucratic bottlenecks within the administrative system have delayed the release of the money to the designated carrier, Air Peace, leaving hundreds exposed to heightened xenophobic tensions.
According to senior officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), and the Nigerian High Commission in South Africa, Air Peace has declined to deploy its aircraft to transport the remaining evacuees until payment is officially confirmed.
This operational stall has left over 700 out of the 1000 registered Nigerians vulnerable to attacks, even after an initial flight successfully repatriated 258 citizens on June 11.
