No fewer than 1,490 Nigerians evacuated from South Africa have expressed gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for fully funding their evacuation and rehabilitation back to Nigeria.
The returnees also commended federal government agencies, state governments, corporate organisations and philanthropists who supported their reintegration after returning home.
Chairman/CEO of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, disclosed this while appreciating the various individuals and organisations that contributed to the successful evacuation and resettlement of the stranded Nigerians.
According to her, Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma donated ₦1 million to each of the returnees from the state, while Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo received Edo returnees at the Government House and also pledged ₦1 million each as an initial support package.
She added that the governments of Delta, Anambra, Abia, Enugu and Lagos states had also contacted their citizens among the returnees and appealed to other states, including Bayelsa, Rivers, Ogun, Oyo, Kwara, Ekiti, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Ebonyi, Kogi, Ondo and Osun, to reach out to their returning residents.
Dabiri-Erewa also acknowledged the support of Apostle Dr. Chibuzor Gift Chinyere of Omega Power Ministries (OPM), who provided free accommodation for 57 returnee families at the church’s headquarters in Port Harcourt.
She said the cleric also offered skills acquisition programmes and free education up to university level for the children of the affected families.
She further commended MTN Nigeria for providing each returnee with a free SIM pack loaded with data worth ₦50,000 and ₦100,000 in cash.
The NiDCOM boss also praised the JAAL Foundation for empowering 50 female returnees, while Pastor Bolaji Idowu of Harvesters Church donated ₦100,000 each to 66 returnees.
She added that Cruxstone Real Estate provided cash support for the first batch of returnees, while the Oyakhilome Foundation distributed food baskets worth ₦30,000 each to members of the final batch.
Dabiri-Erewa also expressed appreciation to government agencies that facilitated the evacuation process, including the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, and the Nigeria Immigration Service.
She also thanked the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu; Nigeria’s Acting High Commissioner to South Africa, Ambassador Temitope Alexander-Ajayi; and the Consul-General, Ambassador Ninikanwa Okey-Uche, for their roles in ensuring the smooth return of the evacuees.
The NiDCOM chairman renewed her appeal to governors, corporate organisations and well-meaning Nigerians to continue supporting the returnees as they rebuild their lives.
The evacuation exercise for stranded Nigerians in South Africa commenced on June 11 and concluded on July 15, with the final batch of 305 Nigerians arriving in the country aboard an Air Peace flight.
