Nigerians returning from SA airborne after 7-hr delay
The first aircraft lifting Nigerians out of South Africa has taken off
from the OR Tambo airport, Johannesburg.
The flight, which was scheduled to leave 9:10 am, was delayed for
about seven hours.
Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa,
confirmed that immigration issues caused the delay.
She said immediately those on board arrive, they would be given SIM
cards and airtime that would last almost two months to help them stay
in touch with their families.
Dabiri-Erewa added that the Bank of Industry (BOI) would also offer
entrepreneurship programme to those willing to learn.
“The Bank of Industry will also be here to offer some entrepreneurship
programme and some support to start a small business and there would
be some stipends for transportation to take you home and we will
profile them and for those who want to get any training, they will
decide what kind of training they want to do and the Bank of industry
will be there to provide it,” she said.
A reporter with eNCA, Heidi Giokos, who has been monitoring events at
the airport in South Africa, also tweeted that the plane took off at
3:30pm, South African time.
“188 Nigerians have boarded the @flyairpeace plane. The plane was
brought in for Nigerians who wanted the evacuation plan offered by
@flyairpeace. The board is now ready to take off. It was scheduled to
leave at 9:10 am. Over 7 hour delay,” she wrote.
According to her, the delay seemed to be as a result of expired
documents from some Nigerian nationals going through the South African
immigration.
She also reported earlier that some Nigerians were not allowed to
board as they couldn’t provide travel documents for their children.
Hundreds of Nigerians had on Wednesday morning gathered at the Nigeria
consulate in South Africa where buses moved them in batches to the OR
Tambo airport.
This development follows a directive from President Muhammadu Buhari
to evacuate Nigerians in South Africa.
The president gave this order after receiving the report of the
special envoy evaluating xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in South
Africa.
The returnees are to be welcomed at the premises of the Nigerian
Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO) immediately they arrive via the
Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos.
An official of NAHCO told online medium, The Cable estimated time of
arrival would be around 7pm.
It was also gathered that a second plane will arrive in South Africa
on Friday to take more Nigerians willing to return.