The Federal Government has evacuated another 66 Nigerians from South Africa following renewed xenophobic attacks in the country.

The returnees arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, on Wednesday night as part of the ongoing evacuation exercise approved by President Bola Tinubu.

The latest group represents the second batch of evacuees from South Africa. The first batch of 258 Nigerians was repatriated on June 11 aboard a chartered Air Peace flight.

Speaking in Lagos, the Head of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Dipo Onabowale, said the evacuation was facilitated by the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of ValueJet, Kunle Soname, while officials of the Nigerian High Commission in South Africa accompanied the returnees.

Onabowale, who represented NiDCOM Chairman, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, commended President Tinubu for approving the evacuation exercise.

“There are 66 people in the second batch. Logistical challenges encountered during the first evacuation exercise are being addressed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,” he said.

He added that the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, had assured that all registered Nigerians affected by the attacks would be evacuated.

The evacuation follows recent incidents of xenophobic violence targeting foreign nationals in South Africa, prompting the Nigerian government to facilitate the voluntary return of its citizens.