According to the South African Department of Home Affairs, all 268 individuals processed on this first flight were found to be residing in South Africa illegally.
In accordance with the Immigration Act, all affected individuals were declared "undesirable persons" and are prohibited from re-entering South Africa for a period of five years.
The flight was part of a broader, voluntary repatriation process, with over 1,000 Nigerian citizens having registered to return home amid safety fears fueled by economic frustrations and recent anti-immigrant campaigns. A second flight was subsequently scheduled to transport the remaining individuals from a processed group of 586.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa condemned the vigilante violence and outlined measures to crack down on undocumented migration through lawful, state-led processes. The Nigerian government provided Emergency Travel Documents and pledged support to help the returnees resettle in Nigeria.
The latest news reaching, Braamfontein Alive, is that; the second evacuation flight, initially scheduled for June 15, was delayed. This was caused by logistical hurdles, flight permit clearances, and necessary screening.
South Africa's Department of Home Affairs processed 586 Nigerians for repatriation, as many were found to be undocumented. According to South African officials, all processed returnees were declared "undesirable persons" and barred from re-entering the country for five years.
The Nigerian government is actively profiling the returnees and providing them with welcome packs and temporary support; while the Naira 1,000, 000 package has not yet be paid to all returnees.
Only packages from MTN which includes; a brand new smart-phone, with Naira50,000 airtime and Naira 10,000 (not Naira100,00); widely rumoured; were given to qualified returnee (age-considered) each.
In another unconfirmed rumour or news, saying that, Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State approved a Naira 300 million intervention fund for Imo indigenes returning from South Africa. Under this package, each of the approximately 250 returnees from the state receives a Naira 1 million rehabilitation and reintegration grant to help rebuild their lives.
By Olagunju, Success Taiwo
