The Federal Government has said it would seek from its South African counterpart compensation for Nigerians forced to abandon businesses and other valuable properties as they returned home, following renewed anti-immigrant tensions in the country.
This came as 269 more Nigerians arrived Lagos in the third government’s evacuation flight, thus bringing the total number so far evacuated to 603.
This comprises the 268 airlifted by Air Peace on June 11 in the first batch; 66 evacuated by ValueJet on July 25 in the second batch; and the 268 brought home yesterday by Air Peace.
Speaking during an appearance on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief as the evacuees touched down in Lagos yesterday, Acting Nigerian High Commissioner to South Africa, Temitope Ajayi, said government had already begun compiling records of businesses and properties left behind by returnees.
He added that the information will form the basis of discussions with the South African authorities on possible compensation.
The envoy said: “In terms of the businesses, just three days ago, myself and the South African Deputy Minister of Finance were together and we were discussing this.
‘’I took up the discussion with her and we have agreed that we are going to ask our people who are returning to begin to document what they are leaving behind, and that was the message yesterday (Monday, June 29) before this set that is due to land in Lagos.
