Tobias Sylvester
South African security agents arrested 135 Nigerians already profiled for evacuation out of the country for not possessing travel documents.
KanyiDaily had reported that 640 Nigerians have indicated the desire to return home from South Africa and have registered to do so, following the xenophobic attack on Nigerians in South Africa.
However, we gathered the South African officials showed up at the last minute of when 135 out of the Nigerians citizens caught up in xenophobic attacks were already positioned to start boarding the Air Peace aircraft.
The aircraft was parked at the tarmac of the Oliver Tambo international airport as early as 4:00 am Wednesday morning when the South African officials effected the arrests.
The South African officials were said to have demanded the travel documents of the Nigerians and an explanation on how they came into South Africa without legal travel papers.
While only 182 of the 317 Nigerians had been documented with their names on the flight manifest, the remaining 135 who are said to have been prevented from boarding the free flight were taken away by the South African immigration officials.
Scores of journalists including those from foreign and local media organisations were waiting for the outcome of the development, but as at press time, no concrete news about when the Nigerians will be allowed to be flown back.
