Only 640 Nigerians Have Indicated Interest To Leave South Africa - NIDCOM

The number of Nigerians that have indicated interest to leave South Africa has increased from 400 to 640. 

Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairperson of Nigerians in the Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) confirmed this while responding to questions from journalists on Monday September 9. She revealed that two aircrafts will convey the Nigerians willing to come back home, and also added that the Nigerian government is still demanding for compensation for victims of the xenophobic attacks in South Africa. 

“As I speak with you now, we have 640 Nigerians voluntarily registered to come home and they will be home in a couple of days and we believe that more will still be coming to register,” she said.

“Two planes will convey them. the envoy will be briefing the president. When we receive the first two batches, we will know how many more will come. With the envoy’s briefing to the president, we will be having everything in place.

“They went on their own and have volunteered to come back. They belong to states as well but on the part of the federal government, we have the GEEP programme that we encourage them to enrol in, small scale entrepreneurial programme with the Bank of Industry, Special Intervention Programme also.

“In the meantime, we continue to demand compensation for Nigerians that have been attacked in South Africa."

Abike told newsmen that the Presidency is still expecting the report of the investigation into the death of the Deputy Director-General of the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria, Mrs Elizabeth Chukwu, who was murdered in South Africa.

On effort made by the South African government to curb the xenophobic attacks, the NIDCOM boss said eight policemen have been charged for their involvement in killing of Nigerians in South Africa and four more have been arrested.