ABUJA, Sept 10 (Reuters) - At least 640 Nigerians have
signed up to take free flights home from South Africa after
xenophobic attacks on foreigners, a spokeswoman for Nigeria's
president said on Tuesday.
Private Nigerian airline Air Peace plans to operate two
flights with Boeing (NYSE:BA) 777 aircraft, the first leaving Lagos late
on Tuesday to return on Wednesday with evacuees.
The plane can carry roughly 300 passengers.
President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday called for the
immediate voluntary evacuation of all Nigerians wanting to
return home, and Air Peace offered free flights last week.
In the latest of periodic xenophobic violence in South
Africa, deadly riots last week in Pretoria and Johannesburg
killed at least 10 people including two foreigners, and targeted
foreign-owned businesses. Retaliatory attacks in Nigeria forced South African
businesses to shut doors for several days, and South Africa
temporarily closed its embassy on safety fears.
Buhari will visit South Africa next month to address the
attacks and seek a solution.