No fewer than 40 more stranded Nigerians evacuated from South Africa arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos State, on Friday night, bringing the total number of returnees under the sixth batch of the Federal Government’s evacuation exercise to 1,174.

The latest group arrived aboard a chartered Air Peace flight, completing the sixth batch of the evacuation coordinated by the Federal Government.

According to a statement issued on Saturday by the Director of Media, Public Relations and Protocols of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, the previous flights in the exercise brought home 258, 266, 262, 282 and 66 Nigerians through Air Peace and ValueJet before the final group of 40 arrived.

“The returnees came through Air Peace in four different flights of 258, 266, 262, 282, Value Jet 66 and the sixth batch came in a chartered flight with 40 Nigerians,” the statement said.

The returnees expressed appreciation to President Bola Tinubu for approving their evacuation from South Africa.

They also commended the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, the Acting Nigerian Ambassador to South Africa, Ambassador Temitope Alexander-Ajayi, and the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, for facilitating their return.

The statement said, “The returnees expressed their gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for approving their immediate evacuation as well as all the facilitators.”

It added that the evacuees were received by NiDCOM officials, who also announced financial support for them.

According to the commission, returnees from Imo State received ₦1m each through Governor Hope Uzodimma, while MTN donated free SIM packs with data worth ₦50,000 and pledged to pay ₦100,000 into the bank accounts of all returnees.

The statement further noted that officials of the Edo and Delta State governments also announced support packages for their indigenes.

It added that the JAAL Foundation pledged empowerment support for 50 female returnees, while the General Overseer of Omega Power Ministries Worldwide, Apostle Dr Chibuzor Gift Chinwe, was commended for providing free accommodation for about 52 returnees, skills acquisition opportunities for families and free education for their children up to university level.

The returnees also appreciated Pastor Bolaji Idowu of Harvesters Church for donating ₦100,000 each to 66 returnees, as well as Cruxstone, a real estate firm, for providing financial support to the first set of evacuees.

Balogun said officials of the National Emergency Management Agency, National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, Nigerian Immigration Service, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, National Identity Management Commission and other security agencies were on hand to document and receive the returnees.

The statement added, “The returnees were full of gratitude for the donations, support and warm welcome received.”