About 187 Nigerians affected by the recent xenophobic attacks in South Africa have arrived Nigeria on-board an Air Peace flight.
They were promised N40,000 Naira worth of air time, 9GB of data valid for 2 months as well as a soft loan from the Bank of Industry by the Federal government. Also a programme of reintegration will also be put in place subsequently.
Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, NIDCOM Abike Dabiri-Erewa led a team of government officials to receive the returnees while commending the management of Air Peace for the kind gesture.
Dabiri-Erewa disclosed that a total of 187 Nigerians were evacuated, amongst whom over 30 were children. About 317 were initially billed to return on the flight which experienced over 15 hours delay by the South African authorities.
The development follows a directive from President Muhammadu Buhari to evacuate Nigerians in South Africa willing to return home due to renewed xenophobic uprisings.
President Mohammadu Buhari gave the order after receiving the report of the special envoy whom he dispatched to South Africa over the xenophobic attacks.
The returnees were thankful to President Buhari, the Chairman and management of Air Peace as well as the Consul-General in South Africa and the High Commission in Pretoria for their efforts in ensuring their successful return to Nigeria.
