Nigerians evacuated from South Africa have arrived this morning safely in Lagos.

The evacuation comes amid growing concerns over the safety of Nigerians residing in South Africa following reports of violence and attacks on foreign-owned businesses and communities.

The evacuees arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, at about 10:15 a.m. on Thursday aboard an Air Peace aircraft.

The return flight is part of a coordinated evacuation effort by the Federal Government in response to renewed attacks targeting foreign nationals in South Africa.

The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye, was expected to receive the returnees upon arrival at the airport.

The Federal Government had earlier assured that it would continue to engage South African authorities to ensure the protection of Nigerians and prevent further escalation of tensions.

•Joe Ajaero

President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, has been honoured as the 2026 laureate of the Arthur Svensson International Award for his courage and commitment to defending workers’ rights.

The award is presented to individuals who have demonstrated exceptional courage, strategic acumen and an unwavering commitment to defending workers’ rights and trade union freedoms worldwide.

Speaking at the award ceremony in Oslo, Norway, yesterday , Ajaero said that the honour was not a personal achievement but recognition of the struggles of workers across Nigeria.

“I stand before you today not as a man, but as a symbol, a true symbol of millions of Nigerian workers who wake up every morning not just to the smell of tear gas, the sound of sirens, and the cold silence of a state that preys on its own people but who go to work hungry and come back hungrier more emasculated than before they left for work,” he said.

Image: National Assembly, Abuja

A fire outbreak in the Senate wing of the National Assembly was quickly put out on Wednesday; stopping it from spreading any further.

It took the swift intervention of senator Asuquo Ekpenyong from Cross River South and Senator Salihu Mustapha to quench the fire building up in the kitchen compartment of the Senate hearing room 107.

The Senate Committee on Niger -Delta Development Commission, NDCC chaired by Senator Ekpenyong had just concluded the screening exercise of Dr. Zainab Marwa as the member representing, Northeast on the board of the commission when smoke from the fire rapidly covered the scene of incident.

It was subsequently gathered that the fire emanated from a micro-wave left on in the kitchen.

In the brief commotion; Senator Ekpenyong’s swift intervention ensured that the fire was quickly put out.SOT