More than 700 Nigerians remain stranded in South Africa three days before the June 30 deadline issued by anti-immigration groups.
It was gathered that despite President Bola Tinubu’s approval of funds for their evacuation, bureaucratic delays have prevented the release of the money, leaving hundreds stranded amid escalating xenophobic tensions.
Reports showed that although the President approved funding for four additional rescue flights after the first evacuation brought home 258 Nigerians, the money had yet to reach the designated carrier, Air Peace.
This delay, according to officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission and the Nigeria High Commission in South Africa, is stalling the evacuation operation and leaving hundreds of Nigerians exposed to attacks.
The officials confided in one of our correspondents that Air Peace had declined to deploy aircraft to evacuate the remaining stranded Nigerians until payment was confirmed.
The delay has heightened fears among the stranded Nigerians as xenophobic tensions continue to escalate across South Africa.
