By RFIPalled on 09-09-2019Modified on 09-09-2019 at 19:42
The Nigerian authorities have announced the repatriation of some 600 nationals as of Wednesday, 11 September. This weekend, a new person was killed in Johannesburg, bringing to 12 the total number of victims of xenophobic violence since last week.
This is an offer from the owner of the Nigerian airline Air Peace that started everything last Wednesday. In support of the victims of xenophobic violence in South Africa , Allen Onyema, the director general of Air Peace, offered to repatriate any Nigerian who wanted to repatriate from South Africa for free. Since then, about 600 nationals have applied for the estimated 100,000 residents of the consular authorities in Johannesburg.
The evacuation was originally supposed to start last Friday, but it was delayed for administrative reasons. Nigerian immigrants were first required to obtain a travel certificate because many of them did not have a valid passport. The problem is now fixed. Their repatriation will start this Wednesday, September 11, said the Nigerian authorities. A first Air Peace aircraft will carry 320 passengers. Another will be chartered soon after.
This unprecedented air bridge between the two countries comes as the diplomatic situation is normalized. After several days of tension, Abuja sent an envoy to South Africa and said he wanted to seek solutions with Pretoria.
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