Eighty-three Nigerians have returned to the country from South Africa in the wake of a repatriation exercise by the Federal Government with the backing of private persons.
They arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, on a South African Airways flight from Johannesburg, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated in a statement on Wednesday.
Two officers from the Consulate-General of Nigeria in Johannesburg were on board to help them on their return voyage.
The government said the repatriation was made possible by the provision of aircraft tickets by unknown private persons who provided financial assistance to ensure the safe return of the Nigerians.
The returnees were met at the Lagos airport by the Director, African Affairs Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Haruna Ali-Gombe on behalf of the Federal Government.
Upon arrival, the 83 returnees were received by the concerned government agencies for paperwork and profiling.
It is envisaged that this process will eventually lead to their reunion with their family.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the Federal Government is committed to the welfare and safe return of Nigerian stranded or in need of help overseas.
It also commended the Nigerian diplomatic post in South Africa, the private individuals that sponsored the aircraft tickets and the government offices that received and processed the returnees.
The government said the joint effort was aimed at ensuring a smooth greeting and reintegration process for the returning Nigerians.
The current occurrence is a reminder of the ongoing efforts of Nigerian diplomatic officials to assist individuals who need to be repatriated from other nations.
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