Nigeria, June 11 -- The first group of Nigerians evacuated from South Africa has arrived in Lagos, following weeks of rising xenophobic attacks that triggered a government-coordinated repatriation exercise.

The returnees, totalling 262, arrived on Wednesday at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport ( Cargo Airport) aboard a specially arranged evacuation flight, part of efforts by the federal government to bring home citizens affected by the unrest.

The flight landed at about 10.30 a.m. on Wednesday.

Officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other agencies were on ground to receive the evacuees, who are expected to undergo profiling before being reunited with their families.

More batches of a Nigerian returnees are expecte...